154. How and why we teach Roman history, with Beth Digeser

In this episode of Byzantium & Friends, host Anthony engages in a thoughtful discussion with Professor Beth Digeser of the University of California, Santa Barbara, about the evolving pedagogy of teaching Roman history in the contemporary academic landscape. They explore the dual challenges posed by ideological critiques from both the political left—highlighting Roman history's problematic legacies around empire, slavery, and gender—and the right, which often dismisses the humanities as politically subversive. Digeser argues that Roman history's true value lies not in its supposed 'archetypal' status, but in its complexity and capacity to challenge students' assumptions. She emphasizes using Roman history as a lens to explore enduring human issues such as identity, religious difference, and the psychological toll of autocracy, while also de-centering Rome’s city-centric narrative in favor of a 'global Rome' that highlights provincial agency, migration, and cross-cultural exchange. The conversation underscores how teaching Roman history must be dynamic, responsive to current events, and grounded in both intellectual rigor and pedagogical empathy. Digeser shares her approach to course design, focusing on core Roman concepts like citizenship, universalism, and imperial governance as frameworks for critical thinking. She illustrates this with her innovative use of Gaul as a microcosm of Roman imperialism, allowing students to trace the transformation of a region from resistance to Romanization. She also highlights the relevance of late antiquity—particularly the 3rd to 4th centuries—for understanding modern issues like religious intolerance and ethnic integration, noting how late Roman debates about heresy, paganism, and foreign soldiers mirror contemporary struggles. Ultimately, the episode positions Roman history not as a static canon, but as a living, evolving dialogue between past and present, essential for cultivating critical, self-reflective citizens in a polarized world.