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Learner Reviews & Feedback for The Changing Landscape of Ancient Rome. Archaeology and History of the Palatine Hill by Sapienza University of Rome

4.4
stars
305 ratings

About the Course

Studying ancient - as well as medieval or modern - cities basically means telling local urban stories based on the reconstruction of changing landscapes through the centuries. Given the fragmentary nature of archaeological evidence, it is necessary to create new images that would give back the physical aspect of the urban landscape and that would bring it to life again. We are not just content with analyzing the many elements still visible of the ancient city. The connections between objects and architectures, visible and non visible buildings, which have been broken through time have to be rejoined, to acknowledge the elements that compose the urban landscape. Landscape and its content are a very relevant and still vital part of any national cultural heritage. The course will introduce students to the way we have been reflecting on over the last twenty years and still are engaged with the study of the past of our cities, beginning from the most complex case in the ancient Mediterranean World: the core of Italy and of Roman Empire. On the other hand, knowledge means also preservation and defense of material remains and cultural memory. “The Changing Landscape of Ancient Rome. Archeology and History of the Palatine Hill” presents to a large public the topographical lay-out of the most relevant part of the city (according the Greek and Roman Historians Rome was founded on the Palatine). Research developed on the Palatine since the end of last century by the team of Sapienza Classical Archaeologists opened a new phase in the urban archaeological investigation and in the scientific debate about the relation between archaeological features and literary tradition as well as the “correct use“ of both kind of evidence, key issues of wide archaeological and historical significance....

Top reviews

CS

Mar 21, 2018

I’m now living in Siena so visiting Roma and it’s wonderful ancient architecture especially the Roman forum and the palatine hill has new excitement and knowledge for me.

JC

May 1, 2018

I appreciate the opportunity to learn the history of Rome and how it became the marvel city it is today . I will enjoy a lot more my next trip to Rome. Thank you .

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76 - 100 of 126 Reviews for The Changing Landscape of Ancient Rome. Archaeology and History of the Palatine Hill

By Maria S

Feb 1, 2021

AMAZING

By Fayziyeva F I

Jul 25, 2020

super

By m g

May 9, 2018

Fanta

By John U

Apr 30, 2020

I enjoyed this course very much. I only audited the course, so I don't know how different it is from the purchased course. My only criticism are the transcriptions of Professor Carafa's video presentations. The transcriber obviously misunderstood some words spoken by Professor Carafa, due to his accented English. For instance, when Professor Carafa says "hall" it is transcribed as "hole". Another example is "porticos" being transcribed as "particles". These two examples occur several times throughout the course, since hall and porticos are ubiquitous architectural features in the course. It was confusing until I understood what the Professor was actually saying. There were other transcription errors that caused confusion. It would be helpful for future students if Professor Carafa could proofread and correct the transcription errors. Alternatively, a mechanism that allowed students to suggest corrections would also suffice.

By Paul B

Jun 19, 2020

Great content. Really helped to bring the space to life. Three suggestions, though: 1) ensure quizzes reflect current content (e.g. lesson 8, "heliogabalium" doesn't appear to have been mentioned in any video yet there is a question about it); there is LOTS about which building was where and what it might have looked like - a little more about the men who occupied the space would be helpful; 3) no real mention of the sacking of Rome and what new rulers did with these buildings. Thanks! My next trip to Rome will be better as a result of my learning from this course.

By Niels B

Feb 20, 2020

The professor is very knowledgable and the course material on the palatine hill is really interesting. But the course is content is sometimes a bit chaotic, switching quickly between locations, periods and people. And the formulation of the questions in the tests doesn't always correspond with the way the answer is presented in the lectures. So the course could use an update.

By jean

Aug 14, 2020

Thanks for giving such detailed information about a very important spot in Roman history, that is difficult to understand when you visit without previous data.

Now I understood the most relevant changes through it´s amazing history.

It was sometimes hard to orient myself with the drawings, as they where not always heading North.

Thanks again.

By Juan R M

Apr 1, 2023

The course is very interesting. Only thing, some of the videos seem not revised (repetitions of speeches) and of the quizzes, you have to dig very deep to check the answers that sometimes are not clearly told in the videos itself.

Nice course and interesting theme, but please check the videos again for the teachers, really neeeded

By Peter N

Aug 13, 2019

A wonderful course that allowed me to understand a part of Rome much better.

I feel that the additional course material was simply a recap of the lecture and didn't expand or clarify anything.

The tutorials at the very beginning and the directions to download and instal AutoCad are irrelevant.

By julian l

Sep 21, 2020

not an easy course, the maps presented in the course are not very clear and far to small to be seen on the screen. Luckily I am quite familiar with the general orientation of Rome, and area around the palatine hill, otherwise, would not be able to answer lots of questions in the quiz.

By Amy Q

May 29, 2019

Having a document with names, terms, etc. would have been helpful, as well as clickable documents of the many maps and diagrams that were used. So many terms were found on them, and it made it difficult to keep track of everything. Very much enjoyed the course otherwise, thank you!

By Dominic B

Nov 11, 2021

Ample in-depth description of the many eras of construction on and around the Palatine, that most important of Roman hills. The course provides a broader historical perspective for why each era produced the structures it did, and how the use of the area changed over centuries.

By Patricia C

Oct 16, 2017

It is an excellent course, but it doesn’t have subtitles. When you are not an expertise, and the language used is not your own, the understanding of certain terms it is sometimes difficult.

Anyways, a good experience. The professor is an expertise on the subject.

Great job!

By Elena

Mar 23, 2022

Very interesting material. In the end, it became a little monotone, but the course is worthwhile. You will like it if you are really keen on archaeology and roman history. The course is plenty of maps and the explanations are fine too. You will learn a lot, for sure.

By Ray S

Oct 11, 2021

I got the feeling that the quiz questions were translated directly from the Italian originals. But the English version of the lectures could not have been as succinct as the original Italian. This made the completion of the quizes a real puzzle.

By Carlos E R C

Sep 9, 2020

Curso de fácil assimilação, tive um grande aprendizado em pouco tempo, com folga do prozo estimado pelo curso, grato pela disposição deste conteúdo que me proporcionou uma grande soma nos meus conhecimentos.

By Jordan F

May 15, 2020

A well-researched course that delves deep into the history of Rome and the Palatine. Answers to the quizzes should be more evident and not require studying the background images that appear, though.

By Anna E S G

Jun 3, 2021

Interesting topic but can benefit from having clearer and dynamic visuals. The questions on the quizzes seem not taken from the instruction. You cannot find them even from the transcripts.

By Joseph I

Nov 16, 2020

It would be better if the quiz had no latin terms, for the directions in the lecture aren't always clear and the quiz is absolutely mystifying in places.

By tara k

Nov 27, 2023

A very interesting course which could be improved by a pdf with the various plans of the hill, indicating cardinal points. The professor is excellent.

By Reggie W

Oct 19, 2020

It was challenging because it required a lot of research because the questions on the quizzes seemed to be quite obscure

Thank you Prof. Paolo Corafa

By Dorothea M F

May 24, 2018

The teacher is great! He shows us the actual ruins whenever possible, it is the next best thing to being there and seeing it ourselves.

By Alessandro C

Jun 7, 2020

Very good course, even though some of the quizzes seem to be not completely aligned with the information provided during the lessons

By ZEYNEP O

Nov 18, 2022

The lectures were a little bit confusing. They could be more understandable for people who are not experts on the subject.

By Kate T

Dec 6, 2020

Amazing detail and very interesting. Would have scored 5 stars if maps were included, cannot read them on screen.