A Gaze into the Past explores the evolution of Laura Mulvey's influential theory of the male gaze from its cinematic origins to its expansion into broader societal contexts, offering fresh...Show moreA Gaze into the Past explores the evolution of Laura Mulvey's influential theory of the male gaze from its cinematic origins to its expansion into broader societal contexts, offering fresh perspectives on gender, sexuality, and societal hierarchies. Marlieke van der Veer researches through two case studies of collections of erotic art in Pompeii, namely the Lupanar and the House of Vettii, the application of the gaze theory to Roman society, focusing on the second half of the first century CE. The analysis reveals that the dominant Roman gaze was aiming at the masculinity a Roman man was expected to embody, instead of gender itself. Therefore, the Roman male gaze was specified as the masculine gaze. This gaze revolved for a large part around the active versus passive roles in sexual intercourse. The study also explored a female gaze, presenting the idealized image of the "femina bona" in contrast to the antagonist, the prostitute, with women finding subtle ways of resistance. Additionally, she introduces the intersectional gaze, inspired by Kimberlé Crenshaw's modern intersectionality framework, demonstrating how intersecting features of gender, sexuality, age, and class shaped one's position in the In-group or Out-group and highlighting moments of power for marginalized groups. In conclusion, this research offers a comprehensive understanding of how the gaze theory can be applied beyond its cinematic origins, shedding light on the complexities of societal dynamics in Roman Antiquity and potentially other historical periods.Show less
Much is unknown about Hadrian's lover Antinous and the success of the cult that was founded after Antinous' death. This thesis answers the question of why the cult of Antinous was successful after...Show moreMuch is unknown about Hadrian's lover Antinous and the success of the cult that was founded after Antinous' death. This thesis answers the question of why the cult of Antinous was successful after the death of Antinous, and why it persisted even after Hadrian's death. With the use of epigraphical, archaeological, numismatic, and papyrological evidence, the thesis has concluded that the widespread use of Antinous' likeness, as well as his ties to his place of birth and place of death, had an impact on the success of the cult. The cult likely thrived too because of spontaneous veneration of Rome's subjects, as well as the aid of grassroots initiatives.Show less
In this thesis, Roman slaves' access to water is used as a case study for the study of Roman marginalisation. Roman slaveholders used water to marginalise slaves in two different ways: on a...Show moreIn this thesis, Roman slaves' access to water is used as a case study for the study of Roman marginalisation. Roman slaveholders used water to marginalise slaves in two different ways: on a personal level, the access to water was restricted, and on a professional level, the access to water was increased. Access to water was a power tool consciously employed by Roman slaveholders to marginalise others.Show less
This Master thesis explores the relationship between migration and religious cults in the context of Roman imperial Ostia. By combining different academic disciplines, such as history, epigraphy,...Show moreThis Master thesis explores the relationship between migration and religious cults in the context of Roman imperial Ostia. By combining different academic disciplines, such as history, epigraphy, archeology and bio-archeology, this study aims at finding if foreign immmigrants in Ostia continued to practice their religious traditions in a community with others migrants.Show less
The aim of this thesis is to discover the manner in which Classical mythology is frequently portrayed by both popular culture and museums, and whether this has an effect on members of the public....Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to discover the manner in which Classical mythology is frequently portrayed by both popular culture and museums, and whether this has an effect on members of the public. This is assessed through an analysis of popular culture, a survey answered by members of the public and museum analyses. Firstly, Classical mythology in popular culture is discussed, with the inclusion of some more in-depth case studies. These results are then used to make some predictions about the survey. The survey was created in order to discover which deities and legends of Classical mythology are familiar, how they are known and which words come to mind. Discussion and analysis of results show what the public may expect to see in a museum. The museum analyses consider several different factors in terms of the museum, as well as providing a brief history of the institution: visitors, accessibility, lighting, display, the involvement of Classical mythology and a comparison with public perceptions. Suggestions for how Classical mythology could be portrayed in museums are based on the museum analyses and survey results. The conclusion demonstrates how not everyone has a clear understanding of what is meant by Classical mythology, and that it is more associated with Greek, as opposed to Roman, mythology. Reflecting how religion was embedded in all facets of daily life, museums tend to represent gods under all different kinds of themes. Issues encountered during this thesis included a non-representative sample of the public, in addition to a bias towards museums in both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, where the museum analyses took place. Further research could include a more representative sample, or cover other countries and museums. It is hoped that this thesis will make a useful contribution towards the field of Museum Studies, and through that, to archaeology. It demonstrates how members of the public perceive Classical mythology, and suggests how museums could portray it in order to correct misconceptions, as well as engage as large an audience as possible. This thesis shows that the public tend to associate Classical mythology with Greece rather than Rome, and as a result are more familiar with ancient Greek deities. Additionally, it shows that popular culture has a significant effect on the public's awareness of certain deities. As the portrayal of antiquities is something rarely studied, this thesis is a unique contribution and should be of benefit to museums.Show less
This thesis seeks to describe the unique structures of the Roman Empire. The Empire, and especially the early Empire is usually described as un-bureaucratic. The entire Empire rested on informal...Show moreThis thesis seeks to describe the unique structures of the Roman Empire. The Empire, and especially the early Empire is usually described as un-bureaucratic. The entire Empire rested on informal structures. The get a better understanding of the historical development of the Roman government the method of contrast is used. The structures of Roman governance in the early Empire stood in a sharp contrast with the developments in the early Chinese Empire, where early in history strong bureaucratic structures existed. The reasons for these strong differences are described by the lines of the role of the aristocracy in the government and the role of the military and wars. This thesis operates under the assumption that Charles Tilly's thesis on war and state-making is also applicable on the ancient world.Show less
