This course will explore the origins of Roman society, from the settlement’s beginnings in the late Bronze Age down through the middle Republic. This is a dynamic and quite contentious field in modern scholarship, with a wide range of contrasting positions currently being argued for. The course will utilize both literary sources and a wide range of archaeological material to build a picture of the community's early development, discussing how and why the Roman state emerged and was able to become the most dominant power in Italy (and ultimately the entire Mediterranean) during this period. We will discuss art, architecture, family, identity, state-formation, religion, war, politics, the economy, and a range of other topics and themes. The course will also touch on how the early history of the city was received and adapted by later authors, and the importance of early Rome for both later Roman history and modern society.