This thesis investigates the influence and legacy of the Alani, a nomadic group from the Northern Caucasus, within the broader context of post-Roman Europe, specifically focusing on the region of...Show moreThis thesis investigates the influence and legacy of the Alani, a nomadic group from the Northern Caucasus, within the broader context of post-Roman Europe, specifically focusing on the region of Armorica (modern-day Brittany and surrounding areas). The research aims to fill a significant gap in the scholarly understanding of how nomadic groups like the Alani contributed to the cultural and political landscape of early medieval Europe, a period often referred to as the "Dark Ages" due to the relative scarcity of written records and the perceived societal stagnation following the fall of the Roman Empire. The study is grounded in a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on historical, archaeological, and anthropological perspectives to create a comprehensive understanding of the Alani's role in shaping the socio-political dynamics of fifth-century Armorica. The research challenges traditional Eurocentric narratives that often marginalize or overlook the contributions of non-Roman and non-sedentary populations in the formation of early medieval European states. Instead, it highlights the importance of considering Inner Eurasian influences, particularly those from nomadic cultures, in the study of European history. The thesis begins by contextualizing the Alani within the broader framework of Inner Eurasian history, exploring the power dynamics between nomadic and sedentary societies. It delves into the ways in which nomadic groups, such as the Alani, integrated into and influenced the sedentary populations they encountered, often adopting a form of leadership that combined military prowess with elements of the sedentary cultures they governed. The study also examines the interaction between different nomadic groups, such as the Huns, Goths, and Franks, and how these interactions influenced the political landscape of post-Roman Europe. In the context of Armorica, the Alani are shown to have played a significant role in the region's defense and political organization during a time of considerable upheaval and transition. The research explores the archaeological evidence of Alanic presence in Armorica, including settlements, fortifications, and toponyms, which suggest a lasting legacy of their occupation. The thesis also investigates the social and cultural exchanges between the Alani and the Gallo-Roman population, revealing a complex process of cultural assimilation and adaptation that contributed to the emergence of a distinct Armorican identity. Through its analysis, the thesis argues that the Alani's influence in Armorica was not an isolated phenomenon but part of a broader pattern of nomadic impact on early medieval European societies. It posits that the legacy of the Alani, and similar groups, can be traced in the development of medieval institutions and cultural practices, particularly in the way power was exercised and legitimized in the post-Roman world. The study concludes by suggesting that a reevaluation of the Migration Period, through the lens of Inner Eurasian influences, offers new insights into the formation of medieval European societies and challenges the traditional notion of the "Dark Ages" as a period of cultural decline. This thesis provides a valuable contribution to the field of early medieval European history by highlighting the often-overlooked role of nomadic groups in shaping the political and cultural landscape of the time. It underscores the importance of adopting a more inclusive and global perspective in historical research, one that recognizes the interconnectedness of different regions and cultures across the Eurasian continent.Show less
In the 1980s, archaeological studies near the village of Valkenburg, South-Holland, unearthed the skeletal remains of individuals buried at the Valkenburg-Marktveld cemetery during the Roman period...Show moreIn the 1980s, archaeological studies near the village of Valkenburg, South-Holland, unearthed the skeletal remains of individuals buried at the Valkenburg-Marktveld cemetery during the Roman period. Part of multiple Roman fortifications along the Limes dating from 40 A.D. onwards, the cemetery was likely used as a burial ground for inhabitants of the Valkenburg fort or nearby vicus, a civilian settlement. The cemetery comprised at least 250 cremated individuals as well as 47 inhumations, which is a striking find that contradicts the common Roman practice of cremation. Due to these inhumated skeletal remains, the site provides an unique opportunity to employ osteoarchaeological analysis to reconstruct the lives of individuals that lived in the Roman Frontier region. This thesis utilizes cross-sectional geometry and bilateral asymmetry analysis to infer activity patterns among individuals at the Valkenburg-Marktveld cemetery, as current research on the differences in bone geometry between different demographic groups within Roman communities in the Lower Rhine area is limited. The study further investigates the factors and potential activity patterns that might influence those variations, such as biological age and sex. To do so, it builds on the initial osteoarchaeological study conducted by Lonnée and Maat (1998), who reported the estimated sex and age-at-death of each individual. Following this, each relevant bone in the upper and lower limbs was measured on various points to generate the indices for each point of measurement, as well as calculate the percentage directional asymmetry (DA%) and absolute asymmetry (AA%). The resulting values were then compared statistically between the biological sexes and age-at-death categories. While statistical significance is limited, the interpretation of data highlights the potential of these analyses in inferring activity patterns. Results from the analysis indicate that males tend to display more robust and symmetric upper and lower limbs than females, which are likely attributable to biological factors or a wider range of activities in males. Age-at-death categories exhibited inconsistencies with patterns described in other study, which is possibly due to natural variation or the limited preservation and availability of the skeletal material. Despite the limited number of individuals that could be examined, this thesis contributes valuable insights into the application of cross-sectional geometry and bilateral asymmetry analysis in osteoarchaeological studies, complementing historical data and broadening our understanding of activities in Roman frontier regions.Show less
The horti, vast aristocratic and imperial estates directly bordering on the city of Rome, are taken as a case study on the appropriation of Hellenistic artistic and architectural styles by Roman...Show moreThe horti, vast aristocratic and imperial estates directly bordering on the city of Rome, are taken as a case study on the appropriation of Hellenistic artistic and architectural styles by Roman elites. Three types of material remains are analysed: architecture, surface art (e.g. mosaics, wall-paintings, veneering), and sculpture. The main conclusion is that many of the Hellenistic motifs and types of art that were imitated in the horti had a highly contextual (and often religious) significance in the Hellenistic world, but that the Roman owners of the horti treated these visual elements as mere decorative elements, while still making use of the intellectual and religious connotations that these had in their original settings. As such, concepts like code-switching and globalisation theory do not seem to adequately explain the Hellenistic elements that are seen in the horti, and we may instead speak of a thorough and far-reaching process of appropriation.Show less
In dit Bachelor Eindwerkstuk wordt de rol van water in Romeinse polytheïstische religies te Rome in de Republiek en prechristelijke Keizertijd onderzocht.
Master thesis | Classics and Ancient Civilizations (MA)
open access
2023-03-02T00:00:00Z
The response of Greek literature to Roman domination varied through different eras, authors and texts. During the so-called “Second Sophistic”, the renewed interest of the literate Greek elite for...Show moreThe response of Greek literature to Roman domination varied through different eras, authors and texts. During the so-called “Second Sophistic”, the renewed interest of the literate Greek elite for the accomplishments of the classical past led to a renegotiation of the relationship with Rome. The present paper examines the role of Rome in the Panathenaicus of Aelius Aristides. Basing my analysis on the rhetorical device of “figured speech”, I examine the rhetorical function of Rome inside the speech, its relationship with Athens, as well as the emerging stance of Aristides towards Roman rulership. I support that Aristides downsizes the status of Rome to extoll the greatness of Athens, while at the same time giving voice to his general hesitation towards the empire by highlighting the Greek cultural preeminence over the Romans. In this way, I hope to cover the relevant research gap, since scholarship on the relationship of Aristides with Rome is predominantly based on the homonymous oration, while the Panathenaicus has been mostly analyzed on the base of Athenian religious preeminence over the emperor.Show less
An in-depth look at political alliances in the late Republic, using Lucius Sergius Catilina as a case study. This thesis rejects the idea of a two-party system or division between so-called...Show moreAn in-depth look at political alliances in the late Republic, using Lucius Sergius Catilina as a case study. This thesis rejects the idea of a two-party system or division between so-called populares and optimates, and rather argues for a system of dynamic and fluid alliances.Show less
Research master thesis | Arts and Culture (research) (MA)
open access
2022-08-31T00:00:00Z
How can you conceptualise a multi-layered and chronologically dense case study in its entirety without losing focus on the parts, and vice versa? This methodological problem lies at the heart of...Show moreHow can you conceptualise a multi-layered and chronologically dense case study in its entirety without losing focus on the parts, and vice versa? This methodological problem lies at the heart of this thesis, in which the seventeenth-century Roman church of Domine Quo Vadis will be used as a case study. Using a palimpsestic framework, this thesis sets out to explore the historical and material dimensions of the Domine Quo Vadis while also acknowledging its status as a mediator of the divine.Show less
Pieter van Laers (1599-1642) merkwaardige Zelfportret met heksenattributen (c. 1635 – 1637), waarop duivelse klauwen het magische ritueel van de schilder verstoren, werd tot op heden vaak verklaard...Show morePieter van Laers (1599-1642) merkwaardige Zelfportret met heksenattributen (c. 1635 – 1637), waarop duivelse klauwen het magische ritueel van de schilder verstoren, werd tot op heden vaak verklaard vanuit een persoonlijke belangstelling van deze Bentvueghel voor magie en occultisme. De overweldigende gelijkenis tussen het schilderij, ontstaan tijdens Van Laers verblijf in Rome, en de Necromancers van Angelo Caroselli (1585-1653) en Pietro Paolini (1603-1681) maakt echter duidelijk dat het afbeelden van een specifiek type magiër: de necromancer, een Romeinse traditie was. Deze Necromancers waren in trek bij de Romeinse clientèle en kwamen terecht in de collecties van belangrijke kardinalen, die de schilderijen verzamelden vanwege hun spottende en vermanende ondertoon. Een analyse van de Romeinse context laat zien dat magie alomaanwezig was in de Eeuwige Stad, maar er is geen bewijs dat Van Laer er zelf bij betrokken was. Tijdgenoten merkten bij Van Laer geen bijzondere belangstelling voor magie op, maar wel een humoristische inslag. Deze humor is terug te zien in het schilderij; Van Laer dreef de spot met zichzelf, andere schilders en de schilderkunst in het algemeen door zich af te beelden als falende magiër. Het Zelfportret als necromancer, zoals het werk zou moeten heten, sloot dus eerder aan bij een algemene magische trend dan bij een persoonlijke belangstelling van de schilder.Show less
In this thesis the theme of the diffusion of the cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis from Egypt across the Mediterranean world is treated, by investigating some of the approaches that have been...Show moreIn this thesis the theme of the diffusion of the cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis from Egypt across the Mediterranean world is treated, by investigating some of the approaches that have been employed by Bommas, Woolf, Bricault, and Versluys in their analysis of the theme; and by examining the features of the Temple of Isis of Philae, the Temple of Isis at the Campus Martius in Rome, and the Temple of Isis at Pompeii. While the Temple of Isis at Philae mostly features architectural elements that are typical of indigenous Egyptian temples, the Italian Iseums of Pompeii and of the Campus Martius feature elements meant to evoke the Egyptian environment and elements of the cult of Isis that are represented in a Graeco-Roman fashion. After comparing the different characteristics of these structures, it emerges that the element that can be found in Egyptian temples of Isis (or in at least, the one at Philae) that persisted in the Temples of Isis when these were built in Italy, was the Nilometer, which was featured at the Temple of Isis at Pompeii, although it is not possible to know with certainty if this was featured in the Iseum Campense by looking at the archaeological evidence. In any case, many conducts for water were found in the latter structure, which could have been likely linked to the presence of a Nilometer or of other elements connected to water, and this would underline the persistence of at least the importance of the presence of water in the concept of the Iseum, and thus likely also in the practice of the cult. However, It has to be underlined that in the case of Philae, the Nilometer was with most probability used in connection to the presence of the river Nile in the vicinity of the structure, while in Italic temples this would have been an element related to the ritual of the cult. Other Egyptian-izing features, such as the dromos of the Iseum Campense, and the purgatorium of the Temple of Isis at Pompeii, were not present at the Temple of Isis at Philae, thus probably being features meant to evoke the concept of Egypt in general more than reflecting the characteristics of Egyptian Iseums. Therefore, it is possible to assume that the almost-total refashioning of the concept of the Iseum when this kind of structure was built in at least Rome and Pompeii might be a reflection of the refashioning of the cult that took place after it diffused out of Egypt.Show less
Als antwoord op het artikel van Sam Heijnen, waarin wordt betoogd dat de Romeinse interesse in de Griekse wereld niet begon met de komst van Augustus maar in de laatste eeuw van de Republiek al...Show moreAls antwoord op het artikel van Sam Heijnen, waarin wordt betoogd dat de Romeinse interesse in de Griekse wereld niet begon met de komst van Augustus maar in de laatste eeuw van de Republiek al aanwezig was te zien in het voorbeeld van Athene, worden ongeveer vijftien steden uit Griekenland gekozen om getoetst te worden volgens dezelfde criteria, om te kunnen zien of er degelijk sprake was van Romeinse interesse voor, tijdens of na de komst van Augustus.Show less
Bachelor thesis | Oude culturen van de mediterrane wereld (Bachelor)
open access
Throughout history religion has played an important role, as a means of connecting people, maintaining political power and social order, from the Ancient Near East to the Middle Ages and onwards to...Show moreThroughout history religion has played an important role, as a means of connecting people, maintaining political power and social order, from the Ancient Near East to the Middle Ages and onwards to the 21st century. This thesis will focus on the role of religious festivals in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome, the function these fulfilled in a socio-political context, and on how the two cultures differ from one another. In the case of Egypt, the state cult by which I refer to religious practices where the Pharaoh or priests appointed by him mediated between gods and men, was not accessible to the commoner. This in turn must have led to social tensions and inequality. During the festivals, the state cult was made more ‘accessible’ . The Roman festival we will be looking at, which is the Saturnalia, on the other hand, initiated a complete role reversal on a social level.Show less
