This thesis researches the failed Romanization of first-century Judaea. It interprets this period by using Millett's theory on Romanization to research the development of the indigenous elites of...Show moreThis thesis researches the failed Romanization of first-century Judaea. It interprets this period by using Millett's theory on Romanization to research the development of the indigenous elites of Judaea and their role in the causes of the Jewish War in 67-70CE.Show less
This thesis has researched to what extent archaeological evidence supports the previous identifications of thirty temples in Italy and how can we better understand them in terms of architectural...Show moreThis thesis has researched to what extent archaeological evidence supports the previous identifications of thirty temples in Italy and how can we better understand them in terms of architectural development and processes of cultural change. Scholarship regarding Capitolia has always been influenced by romanization. Temples that fitted a perfect romanization picture by being in the right location with an Etrusco-Roman plan were automatically labelled as Capitolia, while there was a lack of other supporting archaeological evidence. In this thesis I have shown that out of these thirty temples only five could be identified for certain, based on the evidence that is actually connected to a dedication of the Capitoline Triad. The other temples were divided into different categories, that do not necessarily exclude them but better contextualize them. I have proposed the model of globalization to view all of these temples in a different theoretical framework. This model focusses on interconnectivity and global elements that can be used by local communities and be transformed and adopted to their local needs. I have argued that Capitolia are the perfect example of this global-local balance: the global element being the religious aspects, i.e. the dedication the Capitoline Triad, and the local element being the difference in temple style and decoration. With this model, the differences that were found between all of these Capitolia (and which make identifying them extremely difficult), are not seen as a problem, but these differences are embraced.Show less
Identity within the Roman Empire has always been a major issue in archaeological research within the Mediterranean world, since there appears to be a large regional variability in cultural identity...Show moreIdentity within the Roman Empire has always been a major issue in archaeological research within the Mediterranean world, since there appears to be a large regional variability in cultural identity. Burial practices show information on social con-structs and can contribute to the complex issue on identity within the Roman Em-pire. A comparison of the burial practices of the rural cemetery of Vallerano, near Rome – core of the Roman Empire -, and the British Iron Age and Roman cemeteries of Tolpuddle Ball, Fordington Bottom, Watling Street and Bloxham demonstrated that a distinction between two different types of cemeteries can be distinguished. These two cemetery-types consist of cemeteries where Iron Age burial practices remain in use, but also show an influence of Roman burials and cemeteries that re-semble the burial practices of the rural suburbium of Rome. Both types reflect a dif-ferent type of cultural identity, one in which the local Iron Age practices are still strongly visible mixed with Roman characteristics and one in which Roman practices are commonly used.Show less
This master thesis comprises the mechanisms of Romanization in four different cities in Liguria, i.e. Albingaunum, Albintimilium, Luca and Luna. In the first chapter an article of Terrenato is...Show moreThis master thesis comprises the mechanisms of Romanization in four different cities in Liguria, i.e. Albingaunum, Albintimilium, Luca and Luna. In the first chapter an article of Terrenato is discussed, as well as the recent debate on Romanization, and the existing models proposed by Curchin. In the second chapter, Liguria before the Romans is discussed, as well as the relationship between Liguria and Rome, and the aftermath with regard to Liguria. In chapter three the 'indigenous cities' of Albingaunum and Albintimilium are discussed in the light of Romanization mechanisms. The same is done in chapter four for the colonial cities of Luca and Luna. In chapter five, a conclusion is given to answer the question of which mechanisms of Romanization were in process in these four different (types of) cities and if we can distinguish some kind of pattern.Show less
Over the past decades there have been new theories and methods applied to research in archaeology. This research is an attempt to apply some of these new ideas to the archaeological site, Lepcis...Show moreOver the past decades there have been new theories and methods applied to research in archaeology. This research is an attempt to apply some of these new ideas to the archaeological site, Lepcis Magna. The theory of Space Syntax will be applied to create new data that can be analyzed and interpreted. Recently, there have been multiple studies on identity that have been examined and researched more extensively in relation to the field of archaeology. A combination of space syntax theory and identity studies will be applied in order to have a deeper understanding of past cultural identity of the people of Lepcis Magna between the late first century BC to the Severan period. It has been documented that the inhabitants of Lepcis Magna had a strong Punic background during their incorporation into the Roman Empire. In previous publications on the city, the people are often described as rejecting the Romanization process. New approaches to identity studies on the provincial cities throughout the Roman Empire have attempted to step back from Romanization theory and reexamine the culture and identity of the people. A conscious effort will be made to try and examine the material from an unbiased Romanization point of view. There will also be an evaluation of the space syntax methods to see if it is feasible to approach the study of identity through the examination of space. One will attempt to analyze and interpret areas of high connectivity that will be determined by the analysis applied. Within the areas of high connectivity one will determine if there is a specific identity being projected. It will be from the interpretations that one might discover a collective cultural identity of the people. This research aims to gain a better understanding of past identities of the people of Lepcis Magna through the application of Space Syntax theory.Show less
The study of the relation between acculturation and identity in the Roman world has come a long way in the last couple of decades. The renewed emphasis on exploring discrepant experiences has...Show moreThe study of the relation between acculturation and identity in the Roman world has come a long way in the last couple of decades. The renewed emphasis on exploring discrepant experiences has enabled us to better appreciate the myriad ways in which the empire’s inhabitants where part of a single political continuum, yet each partaking in its ongoing creation on their own terms, adapting elements from their own cultural matrices in the face of imperial realities, duties, possibilities and limits. As a result - although we are somewhat freed from the overly simplistic paradigm of ‘Romanisation’ - studying the formulation of identity in the Roman Empire has become an ever more complex business. One discrepant experience which we are familiar with is the one lived by the author Lucian of Samosata. He was one of the main exponents of the cultural movement known as the Second Sophistic, a period of cultural revival and renewed self-awareness throughout the Greek east - now subjugated but unified by Rome. Like many of his contemporaries, his intimate attachment to Greek culture and its classical heritage did not exclude him from recognizing himself as a loyal and engaged citizen of the empire, enjoying the securities and chances the larger Roman world had to offer. That being said, his The Wisdom of Nigrinus remains one of Lucian’s more obscure works - in more ways than one. At face value, the words of his fictional philosopher could be viewed as those of a dissenter, forming a rousing anti-Roman pamphlet, a philosophical treatise that is potentially legible as a sophist’s rallying cry for Greek resistance against Roman rule and imperial society. However, considering Lucian’s notorious penchant for satire, the authoritative tone of the dialogue’s main voice doesn’t sit well with our expectations of the author. All things considered, the ambiguous Nigrinus dialogue yields important information about the state of the intercultural dialogue between Rome and the Greek east. At the same time, the dialogue stands as a testament to Lucian’s skill in imitating and experimenting with classical formats of literature, tying his reflections on high imperial society to the large repository of images of the classical world, creating a narrative universe in which contemporary satire is injected with a dose of cultural heritage that adds a sense of purpose and history to it. It is the general aim of this essay to map the multiple avenues available to construct a cohesive sense of identity within the Roman Empire in the second century C.E., specifically as they are explored by Lucian. Aside from evaluating the dialogue’s subject-matter, I have sought to dissect the lineage and effect of the form and style which Lucian has used in its composition. To this end, I have drawn from the various theoretical models that have been formulated in an attempt to reinvigorate the recent debate on Roman culture and the conterminous formulation of identity. In the same spirit of eclecticism displayed by influential scholars such as Jane Webster, Greg Woolf and Tim Whitmarsh, I have endeavoured to illuminate how its specific composition reflects its mixed literary heritage, to recognize the significance of the ways Lucian has chosen to comment on imperial culture and society, and in what sense his creative negotiation between cultures in literature reflects the ongoing transformation of imperial Roman culture in his day. In turn, Lucian grants us an opportunity to adjust our newest assumptions, and further refine our perception of Roman history.Show less
