Acculturation and 'Romanisation' Research Papers (original) (raw)

At the end of a long history of increasingly close relationships with her neighbor, the Etruscan city of Caere became a sort of "satellite state" of Rome and was eventually transformed into a praefectura in 273 B.C.E. Historians have... more

At the end of a long history of increasingly close relationships with her neighbor, the Etruscan city of Caere became a sort of "satellite state" of Rome and was eventually transformed into a praefectura in 273 B.C.E. Historians have focused on the institutional aspect of the process, with the progressive "softening" of the political frontier between the two cities through the ciuitas sine suffragio, which paved the way for eventual assimilation. Archaeologists have considered this event as the end of the glorious history of Etruscan Caere. New evidence from Queen's University's ongoing excavation at Vigna Marini, however, demonstrates that the third century B.C.E. was a period of especially intense building activity, probably even of large-scale renovation of this sector of the urban area. The re-evaluation of the evidence from other archaeological contexts of Caere confirms the new data and contributes to serious questioning of the traditional narrative.

Der vorliegende Band ist das Resultat einer Tagung in Iaşi, die unter dem gleichen Titel zwischen dem 24. und 27. September 2014 stattfand. Die Konferenz wurde gemeinsam von der Universität Konstanz, der Alexandru-Ioan-Cuza-Universität... more

Der vorliegende Band ist das Resultat einer Tagung in Iaşi, die unter dem gleichen Titel zwischen dem 24. und 27. September 2014 stattfand. Die Konferenz wurde gemeinsam von der Universität Konstanz, der Alexandru-Ioan-Cuza-Universität Iaşi und dem Archäologischen Institut der Rumänischen Akademie in Iaşi organisiert. Zentrale in diesem Band behandelte Fragen betreffen dabei die Integrationsleistung des römischen Reiches, die Fragen des Bürgerrechts und seiner Verleihungsmodalitäten, Fragen nach Identitäten und ihrer Manifestationen innerhalb und außerhalb des Imperiums. Besonders geht es aber auch um die Rolle der so genannten „Barbaren“, die mit dem griechischen Begriff nur unzureichend – auch im römischen Kontext – erfasst werden. Der Austausch mit ihnen und ihren Traditionen, die bei allem Romanisierungsdruck manifest blieben, hat auch Rom und sein Reich beeinflusst. Entsprechend stellt sich der Zugang, den die hier zusammengestellten Beiträge mit einem Fokus auf die römischen Donauprovinzen und deren benachbarte Gebiete suchen, kontextuell folgendermaßen dar

NW Italy (500 - 1 BCE) provides an interesting case scenario to explore methodological problems regarding issues of identity and ethnicity. In an area with many long-distance contacts across the Apennines, Alps, and along the Po Valley,... more

NW Italy (500 - 1 BCE) provides an interesting case scenario to explore methodological problems regarding issues of identity and ethnicity. In an area with many long-distance contacts across the Apennines, Alps, and along the Po Valley, the question arises how the various forms of cultural interaction were shaping people’s sense of identity. One major concern is, of course, the nature of our evidence. To what extent do pottery types, imported luxury products, funerary rituals, coinage, writing, language, and religion really inform us about issues of ethnicity? Artefact assemblages, for example, seem to change constantly and significant changes that indicate new developments regarding self-identity need to be identified. The second problem concerns the role of external factors in this process. What impact did the Celtic ‘invasion’ – allegedly in 396 or 388 BC – and subsequent Roman domination really have on people’s identity? Another issue concerns the development and nature of these identities: was there ever anything like a ‘Ligurian’ or ‘Celtic’ identity in Cisalpine Gaul? In this context, the term ‘Celtic’ is a convenient shorthand to describe people who wrote and spoke a Celtic language and used artefacts and practices of Transalpine origin. We also have to explore the heterogeneous and geographically diverse character of local ethnicities and the way how these identities evolved when
"ethne" became Roman-style municipalities
Otherness, state formation and ethnogenesis - How did these constantly re-negotiated local identities develop in an increasingly pan-Italian world? With increasing interaction across Italy we would perhaps expect to find a more ‘global’ Italo-Hellenic identity in the post-conquest period. Instead our evidence suggests a much stronger local identity, especially aspects that reflect a certain ‘Celticity’ in writing, coinage, and material culture, as well as the continuous use of rituals and artefacts that go back to the early Iron Age period. Roman presence per se did not result in people ‘imitating’ or ‘emulating’ the conqueror’s culture, but their integration in Roman political and military structures and their involvement beyond their local sphere of influence seems to create the wish to demarcate themselves by a stronger identity.

REFERENCE This handbook endeavors to be a resource for archaeologists, historians, and other scholars interested in investigating the peoples of ancient Italy from the earliest period they are detectable to the time when they have been... more

REFERENCE This handbook endeavors to be a resource for archaeologists, historians, and other scholars interested in investigating the peoples of ancient Italy from the earliest period they are detectable to the time when they have been integrated into the Roman state. It includes both archaeological and historical perspectives on each people as well as chapters on themes that cut across all Italic groups.

Can we use the "polis religion" model for understanding religious activities in the Roman provinces? No! Models based on Classical Greece and religious institutions in Rome are not helpful for understanding developments in the Roman... more

Can we use the "polis religion" model for understanding religious activities in the Roman provinces? No! Models based on Classical Greece and religious institutions in Rome are not helpful for understanding developments in the Roman provinces, like here in the case of southern Gaul. There, we see the importance of individualisation in a highly connected world. Even in major cities in this highly "Romanized" province, the nature of the religious activities is non-Roman and not controlled by a pro-Roman "ordo". This paper looks at a number of cites, like Nemausus / Nîmes, Glanum, Aquae Sextiae / Aix and her territory. Despite the wealth of epigraphic evidence, we can recognise that "public priests" are marginal in shaping the religious activities in this region.

This article examines and compares the evolution of animal husbandry practices in several civitates of Gallia Belgica and western Germania Inferior, as documented by archaeozoological data. It focuses on two neighbouring civitates, those... more

This article examines and compares the evolution of animal husbandry practices in several civitates of Gallia Belgica and western Germania Inferior, as documented by archaeozoological data. It focuses on two neighbouring civitates, those of the Nervii and the Tungri, its aim being to explore the factors that influenced diversity in husbandry practices. In general, it appears that cattle played an important role in the Early Roman animal economy of these civitates. There is evidence that large cattle were primarily bred for use as draught animals. At the same time, the intensive processing of cattle on professional butchery sites, and indications of cattle-related craft activities in urban environments, demonstrate that within the market economy animal exploitation was focused on cattle. Nevertheless, several aspects of animal husbandry practices exhibit geographical differences. Evidence of surplus production of pigs in the countryside of Gallia Belgica suggests that different kinds of agricultural specialization existed within the loess belt. There are also differences in the adoption of Roman agricultural innovations in terms of morphological changes in cattle.

The late Antique mosaic of Orpheus decorated a small room, approximately 18 m2 in area, connected with two even smaller ones, in 4 m2 and the other 2 m2 in area, belonging most likely to a small funerary chapel (or tomb) discovered in the... more

The late Antique mosaic of Orpheus decorated a small room, approximately 18 m2 in area, connected with two even smaller ones, in 4 m2 and the other 2 m2 in area, belonging most likely to a small funerary chapel (or tomb) discovered in the ancient necropolis by the Damascene Gate in Jerusalem; it was discovered in 1901 by H. Vincent.
The author proposes a new interpretation of the iconographic program of the Orpheus myth used by wealthy Christians in a sepulchral context (see Olszewski M.T. «Orphée endeuillé de la mosaïque funéraire de Jérusalem», in Rey Mimoso-Ruiz, B. ed., Actes du colloque «Orphée entre Soleil et ombre», à l’Institut Catholique de Toulouse du 16 au 17 novembre 2007, Inter Lignes, numéros spécial – mars 2008, pp. 205-214, 226). He also proposes a new interpretation of the role Orpheus played in Roman funerary art, concentrating on the importance of the play on words and the visual and textual punning that was popular in ancient art and especially in funerary art. He rejects the popular interpretation of Orpheus as Christ in the Roman catacombs and proposes to interpret the image as that of Orpheus, bard of the departed souls, without any ahistorical connection with Christ. The program of the mosaic from Jerusalem is thus explained as a play on the words Orpheus-orphanos and Chiron (Chi-Rho) and Pan [Παν(τοκράτωρ)].The frequently used Christian funerary formula of resting in peace, Christ or the Lord corresponds
perfectly with the mood created around the mythical bard.
Orpheus’ universal role as singer and musician moving even the most stony of hearts, extolling the beloved departed, is absolutely justified in the context of a 6th-century Christian tomb. Orpheus is a popular and neutral figure, meaning that in effect it does not constitute a threat to Christian theology and can be tolerated by the educated Christians of Jerusalem.

Cross-cultural church planting is more than a by-product of foreign missions. A successful cross-cultural church plant will not only impact a new culture, one new to the planter, but will also impact neighboring communities within a new... more

Cross-cultural church planting is more than a by-product of foreign missions. A successful cross-cultural church plant will not only impact a new culture, one new to the planter, but will also impact neighboring communities within a new culture to disciple and send out other church planters. This process should become cyclical. The goal of cross-cultural church planting then is not about four walls, institution, or creating a safe-haven for worship, but the ability to establish a living organism in another culture, for the purpose of spreading the Gospel and building a relational network of supportive churches. These supportive churches should each grow exponentially within their own cell. This research paper will be presented in a six stage process regarding cross-cultural church planting: (1) targeting and demographics (2) acculturation and assimilation (3) indigenization and contextualization (4) holistic mission and structure (5) discipleship (6) and transforming into germinal churches. Each of these stages will be reflective of the Savior, demonstrating the need for the cross-cultural church planter to assist new converts to become imitators of Christ (Eph. 5:1), with a common goal of building relationships through love, trust, and incarnational living.

Earlier scholarship saw the worship of Silvanus in Dalmatia from two different perspectives. Firstly, as a continuance of the pre-Roman indigenous cult which became »recognized« as the italic deity Silvanus through the interpretatio... more

Earlier scholarship saw the worship of Silvanus in Dalmatia from two different perspectives. Firstly, as a continuance of the pre-Roman indigenous cult which became »recognized« as the italic deity Silvanus through the interpretatio Romana, and secondly, as a product of indigenous assimilation in Roman culture. This article reconsiders these opinions from a different perspective, making the point that we deal here with an entirely new cultural practice, rather than the survival of the pre-Roman traditions, or with the assimilation of the indigenous population into the Roman identity. It is argued that the worship of Silvanus was used as an interface for communication and display of identity of different provincial sub-cultural groups in the early imperial times. It was a new, inventive and multifaceted religious practice, which incorporated existing local traditions and visual aesthetics with global symbolics of Silvanus, bringing together distinct societies and including Dalmatian communities into the »global« world of Roman Empire.

Culture Clash and Cross-Fertilization in the religions across the Roman world. The process of Interpretatio is an important mechanism to overcome the cultural differences in the Roman empire by providing a common language that is... more

Culture Clash and Cross-Fertilization in the religions across the Roman world. The process of Interpretatio is an important mechanism to overcome the cultural differences in the Roman empire by providing a common language that is intelligible across this vast empire. The association between an indigenous/local and Greco-Roman divine concept are not superficial; instead, we recognise here the cross-fertilisation between different cultures; the original act of "interpretatio" only sets in motion long-term processes that will, in the long run, significantly change the nature of local cults. Interpretatio indigena refers to the local population making interpretations with Greco-Roman and Greco-Oriental deities.

Il volume ha come tema centrale l’uso che è stato fatto, nel corso dei secoli, delle antichità della Calabria ai fini della costruzione di una identità regionale. Partendo dall’epoca romana si cerca di fare luce sulla percezione che, per... more

Il volume ha come tema centrale l’uso che è stato fatto, nel corso dei secoli, delle antichità della Calabria ai fini della costruzione di una identità regionale. Partendo dall’epoca romana si cerca di fare luce sulla percezione che, per due millenni, gli abitanti della Calabria hanno avuto di se stessi e sull’immagine che ne hanno rimandato all’esterno. In estrema sintesi si potrebbe dire che la calabresità, l’identità culturale dei calabresi è stata rappresentata, fino a tutto l’Ottocento ed oltre, dai topoi letterari della tenacia, della sobrietà e dell’onore. Essi hanno costituito l’ossatura di un mito arcaico, di un’identità in parte orgogliosamente cercata, ma, soprattutto, inconsciamente subita dalla cultura nazionale ed europea che, a partire dal XVI secolo, aveva, sì, un atteggiamento d’attenzione, ma in fondo godeva di un sottile divertimento, rispetto a questa cultura “altra”. Il brigantaggio e la povertà, endemica come le malattie, avevano contribuito -in parte grazie anche all’auto-esaltazione letteraria di alcuni valori che l’arretratezza portava con sé- a cristallizzare nell’immaginario culturale europeo questa idea della Calabria e dei calabresi che, del resto, poco o nulla hanno fatto per scrollarsela di dosso.
L’identità culturale dei calabresi non è che, così come ancora si configura dopo tanti secoli, un insieme di invenzioni, perlopiù basate su un uso disinvolto delle antichità, che si ritiene sia necessario seppellire per sempre perché falso e dannoso.

Nella storia degli studi il tempio suburbano di S. Abbondio viene tradizionalmente attribuito a Dioniso e ad Afrodite e interpretato come sede di un culto misterico, modellato nel III secolo su pratiche cultuali tipiche della cultura... more

Nella storia degli studi il tempio suburbano di S. Abbondio viene tradizionalmente attribuito a Dioniso e ad Afrodite e interpretato come sede di un culto misterico, modellato nel III secolo su pratiche cultuali tipiche della cultura religiosa greca. La nuova interpretazione delle figure pertinenti al rilievo frontonale proposta dall’autrice rende palese come nel tempio venissero invece fatti oggetto di culto Libero e Libera, coppia divina di origine italica, che presiedeva alla sfera della fertilità agraria, secondo il modello cultuale Romano.
Indizi archeologici, come anche le iscrizioni degli aediles, indicano che la fondazione pubblica dell’edificio di culto si ambienta nel II sec. a.C., e costituisce una risposta adeguata allo scandalo dei Bacchanalia del 186 a.C. L’edificio di S. Abbondio si rivela con ciò espressione di un processo di rinnovamento cultuale, che culmina nel II secolo inoltrato nel nuovo impianto dei santuari urbani di Mefitis/Venere, Apollo e Iuppiter.
Il tempio di Liber è stato anche l’unico tra i santuari suburbani di Pompei a sopravvivere alla frattura politica e culturale agli inizi del I sec. a.C. In epoca flavia il tempio, che si trovava ormai inglobato in una proprietà coltivata a viti, fu restaurato, infine trasformato nella sede di una comunità religiosa di carattere privato. Si può ipotizzare che i committenti fossero locatori o possessori di una villa rustica nelle vicinanze. Come protettore delle vigne il dio Libero rappresenta ora un valore di rusticitas e consente a questa comunità cultuale di coloni di avere un ruolo nella nuova enfasi che caratterizza in quest’epoca l’atmosfera culturale del tradizionalismo contadino.

RESUMEN: Se conocen muchos asentamientos de época ibérica y romana en el Monte Horquera, e incluso esta región ha sido la precursora de la investigación arqueológica en algunos temas como el de los “recintos fortificados”. Sin embargo,... more

RESUMEN: Se conocen muchos asentamientos de época ibérica y romana en el Monte Horquera, e incluso esta región ha sido la precursora de la investigación arqueológica en algunos temas como el de los “recintos fortificados”. Sin embargo, los trabajos que se han realizado al respecto son demasiado antiguos, y en ningún caso han buscado ofrecer una perspectiva global de la Historia Antigua de la zona, sino que han consistido en estudios sobre yacimientos o elementos arqueológicos concretos. Nosotros pretendemos aquí sintetizar todo el conocimiento disponible sobre esta región de la campiña de Córdoba en época antigua.

SUMMARY - Valli Giudicarie between the Iron Age and Romanization: ethnic groups and frontier territories between the Rhaetian area and Valcamonica - In the second Iron Age the Giudicarie of Trentino constitute a sort of border region and... more

SUMMARY - Valli Giudicarie between the Iron Age and Romanization: ethnic groups and frontier territories between the Rhaetian area and Valcamonica -
In the second Iron Age the Giudicarie of Trentino constitute a sort of border region and cultural connection between the group Fritzens-Sanzeno (or Rhaetian group) and that of Valcamonica. The analysis of material and epigraphic data from previous discoveries and recent excavations reveals a preferential cultural influence from the valleys of Lombardy and the Alpine Group of the Rhine valley since VI century B.C. In places of worship (Stenico, Monte San Martino at Campi di Riva del Garda) the presence of culturally diverse materials distinguishes these sites as meeting places of different communities.

Through the sunken-featured buildings documented often in the Late Iron Age and Early Roman villages, the paper examines the possible survival of this feature and the settlements. The transformation of the La Tène D-villages to Roman Vici... more

Through the sunken-featured buildings documented often in the Late Iron Age and Early Roman villages, the paper examines the possible survival of this feature and the settlements. The transformation of the La Tène D-villages to Roman Vici was multifactor, which offers examples of investigating the Romanisation process.
NOTE: corrected Fig. 3. at the end of the text!!!!

"The imperial cult played important role throughout the whole antique world. It reached Rome with Caesar.In the centuries following him the divinity of the emperors were accepted by the whole population of the empire. The cult – in the... more

"The imperial cult played important role throughout the whole antique world. It reached Rome with Caesar.In the centuries following him the divinity of the emperors were accepted by the whole population of the empire. The cult – in the eyes of the Roman population – assured the wellbeing of the state and its inhabitants. The only exception were Christians(together with Jews), who on the bases of their faith regarded emperor worship as idolatry. This is why, they became, in the eyes of the contemporary Roman population, atheists and the enemy of the state. This paper deals with the new results of the research of the imperial cult of Rome and its relationship with Christians.
Keywords:
Imperial cult, emperor worship, Romanisation, apotheosis, Christians and the Roman state"

Settlement evidence has long been an under-studied category of finds in examining the cultural changes which occurred in northern central Europe in the final centuries BC. These changes have been widely associated with the process of... more

Settlement evidence has long been an under-studied category of finds in
examining the cultural changes which occurred in northern central Europe
in the final centuries BC. These changes have been widely associated with
the process of latènisation which affected most of the communities in the
North European Plain in the Iron Age. This book addresses the central
question of the mechanism and agency behind these changes, by examining
material culture patterns. The study uses data from 89 systematically
selected settlement sites located in the Oder River area, including places
of production. The data is contextualised against the evidence from other
central and northern European sites of similar chronology and against other
categories of finds from the study area. The book also contains systematic
catalogues of the examined sites, of their buildings, and of settlement
features of other kinds.

La ravvicinata pubblicazione di due ampie monografie dedicate ai Goti, fra l'inverno del 1996 e l'estate del 1997, ha segnato un punto importante negli studi su questa popolazione, o, più precisamente, sui gruppi di popolazioni che sotto... more

La ravvicinata pubblicazione di due ampie monografie dedicate ai Goti, fra l'inverno del 1996 e l'estate del 1997, ha segnato un punto importante negli studi su questa popolazione, o, più precisamente, sui gruppi di popolazioni che sotto questo nome furono protagonisti in eventi decisivi per la storia dell'Europa continentale e mediterranea, tra la fine del IV alla fine del VI secolo: il declino della Romanità occidentale; la parabola ascendente e discendente dell'impero unno; la formazione di quei regni "romano-barbarici" oggi definiti -con termine più neutro -"successori" dell'Impero romano 1 .

2 Le notizie preliminari sono state edite presso la stampa locale: Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno e Quotidiano di Lecce del 21/06/2008. Gli scavi sono diretti dalla dott.ssa Rita Auriemma. 3 APROSIO 2008. 7 FREZOULS 1983; per un approccio... more

2 Le notizie preliminari sono state edite presso la stampa locale: Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno e Quotidiano di Lecce del 21/06/2008. Gli scavi sono diretti dalla dott.ssa Rita Auriemma. 3 APROSIO 2008. 7 FREZOULS 1983; per un approccio post-coloniale al fenomeno della colonizzazione antica si veda DOMMELEN 1997, pp. 308-310. 8 Parola che, provocatoriamente, si può arrivare anche a detestare, come afferma la Alcock (ALCOCK, 2001) 9 BARRETT, 1997, p. 51. 10 E" stato proposto di utilizzare, per queste valenze politiche, sociali e culturali, il termine romanismus. Si veda, in merito: MAZZA 1998, p. 14. 11 In questi ultimi anni diversi e stimolanti contributi hanno avuto come argomento la romanizzazione ed il confronto di questo avvenimento "socio-culturale" e militare con esperienze moderne. Per analizzare 34 Il Progetto Egnazia, avviato nel 2001, vede la partecipazione, oltre che dell"in proposito i differenti contributi in LIPPOLIS 1996 e gli atti del quarantunesimo convegno di Studi della Magna Grecia dedicato a Taranto. Per i lavori sul territorio ancora fondamentale il censimento in COCCHIARO 1981; a questo si aggiungono le tesi d dottorato condotte dalle dott.sse Patrizia Guastella e Fiorella De Luca.

Un decennio di ricerche archeologiche nel territorio di Paola (CS). Le Calabrie romane fra II a.C. e VI d.C.

Decorated coarse ware represents an underestimated and yet a key aspect for deciphering the complexity of cultural interactions in central Cisalpine regions (i.e., eastern Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia, and western Veneto). The period... more

Decorated coarse ware represents an underestimated and yet a key aspect for deciphering the complexity of cultural interactions in central Cisalpine regions (i.e., eastern Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia, and western Veneto). The period addressed is the second half of the 1 st millennium BC to the early imperial age when the Po valley is a mosaic of cultures and social actors on the move, and whose material culture challenges traditional interpretative categories. The aim of this paper is to discuss some technical and theoretical issues related to a specific class of coarse ware. This pottery, handmade or manufactured on the slow potter's wheel, is decorated with styles and techniques influenced by non-local neighbouring cultures (e.g., Liguria, Central Europe), showing a super-regional and hybridized cultural aspect.