The temple of Empel was interpreted as a religious cult place were Hercules Magusanus was devoted by the Batavian elite. However, Roman religion was very complex in Germania Inferior where religion...Show moreThe temple of Empel was interpreted as a religious cult place were Hercules Magusanus was devoted by the Batavian elite. However, Roman religion was very complex in Germania Inferior where religion was entangled in multiple part of society. This results in a diversity of deities, rituals, and audience group. The temple of Empel does not fit in the general idea of Roman religion and there is no explanation why the archaeological site in Empel an abnormality in the general idea of Roman religion is. This thesis wants to give an explanation how a local site functioned in the general idea of Roman religion in order to better understand how Roman religion worked. When looking at the religion’s practises in Germania Inferior, no spatial pattern of religion can be seen. This is in line with the general idea of how Roman religion worked. The regional level on the civitas Batavorum is also in line with this general idea of Roman religion: no spatial pattern is detectable. The temple complexes worked in this Batavian civitas in the same way of how Roman religion worked, because multiple deities were found, temple complexes work in a broader perspective than only religion, and there is evidence for interpretatio Romana. The temple of Empel is not different from this general idea. In this temple complex, not only Hercules Magusanus is devoted, but probably also Luna, Mother-Goddess, and Fortuna. Moreover, not only the military Batavian elite devoted here, but also women and ordinary men according to the jewellery. This means that the temple of Empel fits in the general idea of how Roman religion worked and this thesis proves why.Show less
Weapons from Albaniana: useful stock or useless waste?' Research into possible interpretations of weaponry from the early Roman fort in Alphen a/d Rijn, the Netherlands, based on the analysis of...Show moreWeapons from Albaniana: useful stock or useless waste?' Research into possible interpretations of weaponry from the early Roman fort in Alphen a/d Rijn, the Netherlands, based on the analysis of finds, context and distribution. A large part of these weapons was found in the wet context of the former river zone, but why? Was it originally meant for recycling, was is dumped as useless waste, was it dumped in haste, while the enemy approached, or was there a ritual component in the dump? Was Roman waste ever value-free, or was discarded material only dumped after a ritual?Show less
LVMEN IN TENEBRAE (Light in the darkness) presents a comparative study of images on ceramic oil lamps from three military camps, Nijmegen Kops Plateau, Velsen 1 and Haltern (Germany), located in...Show moreLVMEN IN TENEBRAE (Light in the darkness) presents a comparative study of images on ceramic oil lamps from three military camps, Nijmegen Kops Plateau, Velsen 1 and Haltern (Germany), located in the Lower Rhine Area, on the frontier of the Roman Empire. This thesis starts with descriptions of the manufacture, distribution and main uses of picture lamps for the specific period of 20 BC until AD 70, when Nijmegen Kops Plateau functioned as a Roman military settlement. The discussion proceeds with the main topic, picture lamp motifs, and introduces the classification system of Hella Eckardt, the base method used for the cross-site comparison of motifs in this thesis. The central question of this research is what motifs on picture lamps can tell us about aspects of Roman military life in the northern Rhine region. From their analysis it has been found that soldiers in those days believed in a supernatural world, evidenced by the depiction of several deities and cupids. Also myths and legends illustrated the picture lamps’ discs. Furthermore, aspects of daily life were visible, as were animals and plants. A special subject was the gladiator, as well as the chariot race, showing strength and cunning, important characteristics for a soldier. Last but not least, also many erotic scenes were spotted on the lamps from some Roman sites. In spite of the presence of a central Roman authority, no uniform standard image file can be discerned. A visible heterogeneity exists, determined by consumer’s choice or by the selection of pottery or traders, a simple matter of supply and demand. The picture lamps from Nijmegen Kops Plateau, Velsen 1 and Haltern are by no means the same. Each site has its own collection of motifs without a specific motif dominating. Only Velsen 1 can be seen as an exception for its great number of erotic scenes. Finally, some equivalents are highlighted of Roman picture lamp motifs in other artistic media across the Empire. It has been demonstrated that comparing the three sites at the northern border of the Lower Rhine area with other sites in the Roman Empire does not provide any distinctive patterns. No site is characterized by specific conspicuities. Also, no site has the same range of subjects. With some caution it can be noted that a number of fragments from the sites of Nijmegen Kops Plateau, Velsen 1 and Haltern yielded striking images, worn in a certain way and showing a nearly complete picture. Perhaps these shards can be considered as amulets, a function they received when the owner of the formerly complete lamp found the image too valuable to discard. From a number of fragments found at the Port of Velsen 1 it can be determined that the image formed part of the same erotic scene. Perhaps this may signify a ritual deposition, wherein the offeror begs for fertility.Show less
The subject of this thesis is the changes in the Nabataean mortuary practice that take place under the Roman influence in the period from the first century BC up until the start of the second...Show moreThe subject of this thesis is the changes in the Nabataean mortuary practice that take place under the Roman influence in the period from the first century BC up until the start of the second century AD. The main research question is: how did the Nabataean mortuary practices change in the Nabataean from the first century BC to the start of the second century AD under Roman influence? This question will be answered at the hand of two sub questions which are focussed on the creation of a model of the Roman funerary practices as seen in the Egyptian sites Alexandria, Berenike and Tuna el-Gebel and the Syrian sites Dura-Europos, Palmyra and Tyre and a model of the Nabataean sepulchral methods created by looking at seven Nabataean sites: Bir Madkhur near Petra, Dumat near Ḥegra, Ḥegra at the southern border of the kingdom, Humayma, the Nabataean capital Petra, Umm al-Jimāl located in the north of the kingdom and Wadi Ramm. Two theoretical themes are used as the leitmotif for this thesis: the theory behind the mortuary practices and Romanisation. The conclusion that can be drawn is that nearly no Roman influence can be seen in the Nabataean kingdom before the annexation and the model created with the use of the abovementioned Egyptian and Syrian site does not fit with the Nabataean kingdom before the annexation. Elements that could be seen as Roman are likely to be Hellenistic, elements which have been places inside a Nabataean context. The used theoretical concepts of Romanisation do not fit with the processes that are visible in the Nabataean kingdom, and Hellenisation is more likely. The discussed theoretical, anthropological background is at least partially applicable. More research is needed to enlarge the used dataset and to explain the reason why no Roman influence can be seen.Show less
This thesis aims to explore how run-off irrigation and terraces agriculture can be used to have a better understanding of the socio-economic dynamics and farming economy of the Petra region between...Show moreThis thesis aims to explore how run-off irrigation and terraces agriculture can be used to have a better understanding of the socio-economic dynamics and farming economy of the Petra region between the Nabataean and the Byzantine Periods (100 BC – 400 AD approx.). Run-off irrigation and agricultural terraces are common around Petra and its hinterland. Despite such farming structures in Udhruh, a site located east of Petra, having been studied in detail in recent years, their roles in the hinterland’s farming economy are not completely clear yet. While the lack of material culture remains and stratified sequences in these agricultural systems represent a challenge for archaeologists, farming installations can be contrasted with the available archaeological and historical data. Using this approach, the vast agricultural landscape of Udhruh emerges. Five areas around the city of Petra and its hinterland which have evidence of run-off and agricultural terraces were selected for comparison: Beida and Wadi Musa, in the vicinity of the city, were all related to wine and olive production; and Humayma, Bir Madhkur and Wadi Faynan, sites in the hinterland, were cereal-based farming economies under military or imperial control. This information was contrasted with available data from Udhruh in order to understand the nature of its farming economy, which is found to fit with the hinterland pattern. A yield productivity estimation was then performed on one of the ancient terrace systems located northwest of Udhruh, followed by a population estimation to provide a quantitative image of how much such systems contributed to the ancient farming economy. This estimation, along with the wheat caloric component, was compared with the caloric need of a Roman soldier. The results demonstrated that the farming economy at Udhruh was reorganized after the Roman annexation in 106 AD, probably to support the presence of a Roman army at Udhruh. When the site experienced another transformation with the arrival of the Legio VI Ferrata during the Byzantine Period, agricultural and water management innovations were developed to handle the necessary increase in food production capacity. Therefore, this research demonstrates that the study of ancient run-off irrigation systems and agricultural terraces can be used in combination with archaeological and historical data to have a better understanding of ancient socio-economic dynamics.Show less
This thesis aims to chronologically reconstruct the official gold supply of a small province at the frontier of the Roman empire: Germania Inferior. For this purpose a dataset of over 1,250 Roman...Show moreThis thesis aims to chronologically reconstruct the official gold supply of a small province at the frontier of the Roman empire: Germania Inferior. For this purpose a dataset of over 1,250 Roman gold coins were analyzed from the Southern Netherlands, Northeastern Belgium and the German state of Nordrhein-Westfalen. The result is a detailed overview of the amount of gold that was available thoughout the Roman period.Show less
This thesis focusses on the distribution of decorated terra sigillata along the limes and two important non-limes sites in the Netherlands. The thesis continues to investigate a consumers choice...Show moreThis thesis focusses on the distribution of decorated terra sigillata along the limes and two important non-limes sites in the Netherlands. The thesis continues to investigate a consumers choice after establishing the distribution patterns of the decorated terra sigillata along the sites. The thesis tries to prove a consumers choice in decorations present on the pottery, in other words, the possebility of a consumer ordering certain types of figures from the potters and pottery workshops.Show less
Met dit literatuuronderzoek wordt er getracht aan te tonen wat we kunnen vertellen over de verspreiding van qanat water management systemen in Jordanië en omgeving tussen de 3de eeuw voor Chr. en...Show moreMet dit literatuuronderzoek wordt er getracht aan te tonen wat we kunnen vertellen over de verspreiding van qanat water management systemen in Jordanië en omgeving tussen de 3de eeuw voor Chr. en de 6de eeuw na Chr. aan de hand van verschillen en/of overeenkomsten tussen deze systemen op het gebied van natuurlijke, technische en sociale aspecten. Het onderzoeksgebied omvat het huidige Zuid-Syrië, Jordanië, Israël en Noord-Saudi-Arabië. Antieke schriftelijke en archeologische bronnen die direct en indirect betrekking hebben op qanat-systemen wijzen op een tijdsperiode tussen de 3de eeuw voor Chr. en de 6de eeuw na Chr. Om tot een vergelijking en een interpretatie te komen worden natuurlijke, technische en sociale aspecten van het qanat-systeem in respectievelijk het noorden (Zuid-Syrië), het centrum (Noord-Jordanië) en het zuiden (Zuid-Jordanië, Zuid-Israël en Noord-Saudi-Arabië) van het onderzoeksgebied behandeld. Tevens zal er worden gekeken naar het aantal qanat-systemen in de verschillende gebieden. Deze studie resulteert uiteindelijk in de algemene conclusie dat het qanat water management systeem zich gedurende de Romeinse periode vanuit het welvarendere, stedelijke noorden van het onderzoeksgebied heeft verspreid naar het minder bewoonde zuiden. En hoewel er nog enige twijfel bestaat over hoe het qanat water management systeem zich precies heeft verspreid, is deze conclusie niet alleen duidelijk geworden uit de verschillen in aantal qanat-systemen binnen het onderzoeksgebied, maar vooral door de bestudeerde sociale effecten van qanat-systemen op de bevolking en het gebied waarin zij leefden.Show less
