The Dance of Priests, Matronae, and Philosophers: Aspects of Dance Culture in Rome and the Roman Empire

Abstract

Abstract The fourteen papers delivered at a conference on Roman dance in June 2019 set about correcting the widespread idea that dance was marginal and held in low esteem in Rome. They elucidated different contexts in which dance was central, especially religion, the theatre, and private entertainments, and further topics included cultural interactions on the Italian peninsula, the diversity of practitioners, the political role of dance, and dance images in poetry. The conference showed not only that further study of Roman dance is necessary, but also that dance is a valuable tool that allows us to think about what we mean when we talk about ‘Roman’ culture.