Ari Saastamoinen | University of Helsinki (original) (raw)

Papers by Ari Saastamoinen

Atti del XVI convegno di studio, 2006

Convegno internazionale di studi, Dec 1, 2015

Arctos Acta Philologica Fennica, 2002

The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, 2012

This study analyses the diction of Latin building inscriptions. Despite its importance, this topi... more This study analyses the diction of Latin building inscriptions. Despite its importance, this topic has rarely been discussed before: the most substantial contribution on the subject is a short dissertation by Klaus Gast (1965) that focuses on 100 inscriptions dating mostly from the Republican period. Marietta Horster (2001) also touched upon this theme in her thesis on imperial building inscriptions. I have collected my source material in North Africa because more Latin building inscriptions dating from the Imperial period have survived there than in any other area of the Roman Empire. By means of a thorough and independent survey, I have assembled all relevant African Latin building inscriptions datable to the Roman period (between 146 BC and AD 425), 1002 texts, into a corpus. These inscriptions are all fully edited in Appendix 1; Appendix 2 contains references to earlier editions. To facilitate search operations, both are also available in electronic form. They are downloadable from the address http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/kla/htm/Appendices1and2.pdf Chapter one is an introduction dealing with the nature of building inscriptions as source material. Chapter two offers a statistical overview of the material. The following main section of the work falls into five chapters, each of which analyses one main part of a building inscription. An average building inscription can be divided into five parts: the starting phrase opens the inscription (a dedication to gods, for example), the subject part identifies the builder, the object part describes the constructed or repaired building, the predicate part records the building activity and the supplement part offers additional information on the project (it can specify the funding, for instance). These chapters are systematic and chronological and their purpose is to register and interpret the phrases used, to analyse reasons for their use and for their popularity among the different groups of builders. Chapter eight, which follows the main section of the work, creates a typology of building inscriptions based on their structure. It also presents the most frequently attested types of building inscriptions. The conclusion describes, on a general level, how the diction of building inscriptions developed during the period of study and how this striking development resulted from socio-economic changes that took place in Romano-African society during Antiquity. This study shows that the phraseology of building inscriptions had a clear correlation both with the type of builder and with the date of carving. Private builders tended to accentuate their participation (especially its financial side) in the project; honouring the emperor received more emphasis in the building inscriptions set up by communities; the texts produced by the army were concise. The chronological development is so clear that it enables stylistic dating. At the beginning of the imperial period the phrases were clear, concrete, formal and stereotyped but by Late Antiquity they have become vague, subjective, flexible, varied and even rhetorically or poetically coloured.

North African Latin building inscriptions have been extensively used as historical sources. This ... more North African Latin building inscriptions have been extensively used as historical sources. This article focus on what building inscriptions can reveal about the
buildings and building processes themselves. The analysis is carried out from three different points of view. First, the information contained in individual inscriptions; secondly, the data obtained by analyzing inscriptions in groups;
thirdly, the use of building inscriptions as an index of urban prosperity. For each of these topics it is the methodological aspect of historical research based on
building inscriptions that will attract attention, rather than the concrete results.

The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, First Edition, 2012, ed. R. Bagnall, K. Brodersen, C. Champion, A. Erskine, S. Huebner, 2456–2461., 2012

Inscriptions (i.e., texts that are carved or, in some special cases, painted on stone or on some ... more Inscriptions (i.e., texts that are carved or, in some special cases, painted on stone or on some other hard, durable, inorganic material) are a vast source material that complements in a very important manner the information obtained from other sources. The discipline that studies inscriptions written in Latin is called Latin epigraphy (from the Greek word epigraphein “to write on/over”) and its principal task is to collect and edit all ancient Latin inscriptions. Inscriptional source material poses problems that are partly common with other sources (representativity), and partly unique (stereotypicality).

The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, First Edition, 2012, ed. R. Bagnall, K. Brodersen, C. Champion, A. Erskine, S. Huebner, 4211–4212., 2012

Madauros (erroneously known as Madaura in earlier scholarship) is a small archaeological site in ... more Madauros (erroneously known as Madaura in earlier scholarship) is a small archaeological site in modern Algeria with Roman and Byzantine remains.

L'Africa Romana 19, Sassari 2010, Roma 2012, 2099-2112, Dec 2010

This paper is a continuation of the one that was published (zooz) 'n L'Africa romana xw Some Styl... more This paper is a continuation of the one that was published (zooz) 'n L'Africa romana xw Some Stylistical Citeria for tbe Dating of Ronan Building Insctiptions in North Africa. Based on a much larger body of evidence than was previously at his disposal, the author has re-examined and, in some cases, modified stylistic dating criteria then presented and has also formulated several new dating criteria that should provide datesalthough typically rather wide and always just suggestiveto many building inscriptions that have remained thus far completely undatable.

L'Africa Romana 14, Sassari 2000, Roma 2002, pp. 1839-1950., Dec 2002

Arctos 36 (2002), 79-96.

Arctos has been published since 1954, annually from vol. 8 (1974). The Editorial Board welcomes s... more Arctos has been published since 1954, annually from vol. 8 (1974). The Editorial Board welcomes submissions dealing with any aspect of classical antiquity, and the reception of ancient culfures in mediaeval times and beyond. Arctos ptesents research articles and short notes in the fields of Greek and Latin languages, literatures, ancient history, philosophy, religions, archaeology, art, and society. Each volume also contains reviews of recent books. The web site is at pr o. $v rt/War c to s.

L'Africa Romana 16, Rabat 2004, Roma 2006, pp. 1913-1928., Dec 2006

ULfrica fomana Mobilitå delle persone.e dei popoli, dinamiche migratorie, -emigr azioni ed immigr... more ULfrica fomana Mobilitå delle persone.e dei popoli, dinamiche migratorie, -emigr azioni ed immigrazioni nelle provin"ce occidentJi d.I'I-pero romano Atti del xvr convegno di studio Rabat, r5-r9 dicembre zoo4

L'Africa romana XVIII, Olbia 2008, Roma 2010, pp. 1631-1644.

The role of the common people in Latin buiding inscriptions and the reading of the AE 2003, 2010.

Atti del XVI convegno di studio, 2006

Convegno internazionale di studi, Dec 1, 2015

Arctos Acta Philologica Fennica, 2002

The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, 2012

This study analyses the diction of Latin building inscriptions. Despite its importance, this topi... more This study analyses the diction of Latin building inscriptions. Despite its importance, this topic has rarely been discussed before: the most substantial contribution on the subject is a short dissertation by Klaus Gast (1965) that focuses on 100 inscriptions dating mostly from the Republican period. Marietta Horster (2001) also touched upon this theme in her thesis on imperial building inscriptions. I have collected my source material in North Africa because more Latin building inscriptions dating from the Imperial period have survived there than in any other area of the Roman Empire. By means of a thorough and independent survey, I have assembled all relevant African Latin building inscriptions datable to the Roman period (between 146 BC and AD 425), 1002 texts, into a corpus. These inscriptions are all fully edited in Appendix 1; Appendix 2 contains references to earlier editions. To facilitate search operations, both are also available in electronic form. They are downloadable from the address http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/kla/htm/Appendices1and2.pdf Chapter one is an introduction dealing with the nature of building inscriptions as source material. Chapter two offers a statistical overview of the material. The following main section of the work falls into five chapters, each of which analyses one main part of a building inscription. An average building inscription can be divided into five parts: the starting phrase opens the inscription (a dedication to gods, for example), the subject part identifies the builder, the object part describes the constructed or repaired building, the predicate part records the building activity and the supplement part offers additional information on the project (it can specify the funding, for instance). These chapters are systematic and chronological and their purpose is to register and interpret the phrases used, to analyse reasons for their use and for their popularity among the different groups of builders. Chapter eight, which follows the main section of the work, creates a typology of building inscriptions based on their structure. It also presents the most frequently attested types of building inscriptions. The conclusion describes, on a general level, how the diction of building inscriptions developed during the period of study and how this striking development resulted from socio-economic changes that took place in Romano-African society during Antiquity. This study shows that the phraseology of building inscriptions had a clear correlation both with the type of builder and with the date of carving. Private builders tended to accentuate their participation (especially its financial side) in the project; honouring the emperor received more emphasis in the building inscriptions set up by communities; the texts produced by the army were concise. The chronological development is so clear that it enables stylistic dating. At the beginning of the imperial period the phrases were clear, concrete, formal and stereotyped but by Late Antiquity they have become vague, subjective, flexible, varied and even rhetorically or poetically coloured.

North African Latin building inscriptions have been extensively used as historical sources. This ... more North African Latin building inscriptions have been extensively used as historical sources. This article focus on what building inscriptions can reveal about the
buildings and building processes themselves. The analysis is carried out from three different points of view. First, the information contained in individual inscriptions; secondly, the data obtained by analyzing inscriptions in groups;
thirdly, the use of building inscriptions as an index of urban prosperity. For each of these topics it is the methodological aspect of historical research based on
building inscriptions that will attract attention, rather than the concrete results.

The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, First Edition, 2012, ed. R. Bagnall, K. Brodersen, C. Champion, A. Erskine, S. Huebner, 2456–2461., 2012

Inscriptions (i.e., texts that are carved or, in some special cases, painted on stone or on some ... more Inscriptions (i.e., texts that are carved or, in some special cases, painted on stone or on some other hard, durable, inorganic material) are a vast source material that complements in a very important manner the information obtained from other sources. The discipline that studies inscriptions written in Latin is called Latin epigraphy (from the Greek word epigraphein “to write on/over”) and its principal task is to collect and edit all ancient Latin inscriptions. Inscriptional source material poses problems that are partly common with other sources (representativity), and partly unique (stereotypicality).

The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, First Edition, 2012, ed. R. Bagnall, K. Brodersen, C. Champion, A. Erskine, S. Huebner, 4211–4212., 2012

Madauros (erroneously known as Madaura in earlier scholarship) is a small archaeological site in ... more Madauros (erroneously known as Madaura in earlier scholarship) is a small archaeological site in modern Algeria with Roman and Byzantine remains.

L'Africa Romana 19, Sassari 2010, Roma 2012, 2099-2112, Dec 2010

This paper is a continuation of the one that was published (zooz) 'n L'Africa romana xw Some Styl... more This paper is a continuation of the one that was published (zooz) 'n L'Africa romana xw Some Stylistical Citeria for tbe Dating of Ronan Building Insctiptions in North Africa. Based on a much larger body of evidence than was previously at his disposal, the author has re-examined and, in some cases, modified stylistic dating criteria then presented and has also formulated several new dating criteria that should provide datesalthough typically rather wide and always just suggestiveto many building inscriptions that have remained thus far completely undatable.

L'Africa Romana 14, Sassari 2000, Roma 2002, pp. 1839-1950., Dec 2002

Arctos 36 (2002), 79-96.

Arctos has been published since 1954, annually from vol. 8 (1974). The Editorial Board welcomes s... more Arctos has been published since 1954, annually from vol. 8 (1974). The Editorial Board welcomes submissions dealing with any aspect of classical antiquity, and the reception of ancient culfures in mediaeval times and beyond. Arctos ptesents research articles and short notes in the fields of Greek and Latin languages, literatures, ancient history, philosophy, religions, archaeology, art, and society. Each volume also contains reviews of recent books. The web site is at pr o. $v rt/War c to s.

L'Africa Romana 16, Rabat 2004, Roma 2006, pp. 1913-1928., Dec 2006

ULfrica fomana Mobilitå delle persone.e dei popoli, dinamiche migratorie, -emigr azioni ed immigr... more ULfrica fomana Mobilitå delle persone.e dei popoli, dinamiche migratorie, -emigr azioni ed immigrazioni nelle provin"ce occidentJi d.I'I-pero romano Atti del xvr convegno di studio Rabat, r5-r9 dicembre zoo4

L'Africa romana XVIII, Olbia 2008, Roma 2010, pp. 1631-1644.

The role of the common people in Latin buiding inscriptions and the reading of the AE 2003, 2010.

Lautapelien historia, 2022

A history of board games. Gaudeamus Helsinki University Press. 319 pages. ISNB 9789523451957

Räävitöntä! Pompejilaisia graffiteja, 2020

A translated and commented selection of Pompeian graffiti. 286 pages. ISBN 9789523450684

This study analyses the diction of Latin building inscriptions. Despite its importance, this topi... more This study analyses the diction of Latin building inscriptions. Despite its importance, this topic has rarely been discussed before: the most substantial contribution on the subject is a short dissertation by Klaus Gast (1965) that focuses on 100 inscriptions dating mostly from the Republican period. Marietta Horster (2001) also touched upon this theme in her thesis on imperial building inscriptions. I have collected my source material in North Africa because more Latin building inscriptions dating from the Imperial period have survived there than in any other area of the Roman Empire. By means of a thorough and independent survey, I have assembled all relevant African Latin building inscriptions datable to the Roman period (between 146 BC and AD 425), 1002 texts, into a corpus. These inscriptions are all fully edited in Appendix 1; Appendix 2 contains references to earlier editions. To facilitate search operations, both are also available in electronic form. They are downloadable from the address http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/kla/htm/Appendices1and2.pdf Chapter one is an introduction dealing with the nature of building inscriptions as source material. Chapter two offers a statistical overview of the material. The following main section of the work falls into five chapters, each of which analyses one main part of a building inscription. An average building inscription can be divided into five parts: the starting phrase opens the inscription (a dedication to gods, for example), the subject part identifies the builder, the object part describes the constructed or repaired building, the predicate part records the building activity and the supplement part offers additional information on the project (it can specify the funding, for instance). These chapters are systematic and chronological and their purpose is to register and interpret the phrases used, to analyse reasons for their use and for their popularity among the different groups of builders. Chapter eight, which follows the main section of the work, creates a typology of building inscriptions based on their structure. It also presents the most frequently attested types of building inscriptions. The conclusion describes, on a general level, how the diction of building inscriptions developed during the period of study and how this striking development resulted from socio-economic changes that took place in Romano-African society during Antiquity. This study shows that the phraseology of building inscriptions had a clear correlation both with the type of builder and with the date of carving. Private builders tended to accentuate their participation (especially its financial side) in the project; honouring the emperor received more emphasis in the building inscriptions set up by communities; the texts produced by the army were concise. The chronological development is so clear that it enables stylistic dating. At the beginning of the imperial period the phrases were clear, concrete, formal and stereotyped but by Late Antiquity they have become vague, subjective, flexible, varied and even rhetorically or poetically coloured.

Acta Instituti Romani Finlandiae, 31, 2003

... Peter Temin Massachusetts Institute of Technology Technology, Ideology, Water: From Frontinus... more ... Peter Temin Massachusetts Institute of Technology Technology, Ideology, Water: From Frontinus to the Renaissance and Beyond. Edited by Christer Bruun and Ari Saastamoinen (Rome Institutum Romanum Finlandiae, 2003) 288 pp. 48.00 ¤ ...

Arctos 44, 2010

Arctos 44 (2010) 320 7645), No. 10 (= P. Amh. II 26), and No. 11 (= P. Louvre Eg. inv. 2329). Kra... more Arctos 44 (2010) 320 7645), No. 10 (= P. Amh. II 26), and No. 11 (= P. Louvre Eg. inv. 2329). Kramer sometimes proposes new readings and interpretations and often these are good. For example, Kramer offers the best solution so far given for the mysterious last sentence of P. Mich. 471 (p. 74). I think he is likely to be right if we take the text as it stands. The other option is to think that there is simply a mistake here, probably produced by the scribe. One place where Kramer offers a new reading is in No. 2 (tab. Vindol. II 310). On line eight (p. 55), he reads Quọtụm, and supports this with a Gallic name attested in La Graufesenque (Qutos). Furthermore, his interpretation of the problematic lines 11-14 of this tablet (p. 57) is better than the one in the original edition where the problem posed by the syntax is not addressed. In his commentary on No. 4 (O. Bu Njem 73, 77 and 79) Kramer offers detailed information on the foreign (Punic and Libyan) elements in the Bu Njem ostraca. Regarding No. 5 (SB XXII 15638, a list of soldiers' names), he suggests Egyptian influence in the devoicing of voiced stops, e.g., in the name Petuceus (= Peducaeus), with a reference to the fact that Coptic has no /b/, /d/ or /g/.