Ancient Rome Research Articles

Evolutionary model and palaeoenvironmental interpretation of the La Codera archaeological complex (Ebro Basin, NE Spain)

La Codera archaeological site is one of the most important settlements from the 1st Iron Age in the Ebro valley, dated between ca. 800 795 and ca. 460 cal. BC. The archaeological area also includes other later settlements. We analyzed the geomorphological context of the area by conducting a geoarchaeological survey and sampling. We also completed the evolutionary framework of the settlement, including paleoenvironmental information. Four slope stages (S1–S4) were identified, some of them related to fluvial terraces. Stages S4 and S3 are two old residual slopes dated to the Pleistocene, without evidence of human occupation. Older features related to human occupations are charcoals dated to Chalcolithic times from T2 terraces of La Codera stream. Slope S2 contains archaeological remains from the 1st Iron and Bronze Ages. Therefore, La Codera and its slopes were occupied during the Bronze Age, before Iron Age settlements. Slope S2 formation corresponds to the stable environmental stage known as the Iron Age Cold Epoch, or 2.8 Bond Event, also identified in many areas of the Ebro Depression. This period was followed by an erosive stage after the Roman Epoch (possibly during the 1.4 Bond Event). Later, a new slope (S1) formed, together with a new terrace (T1). This slope includes walls and ceramics from Iberian, Roman, and Medieval times toward the northeast of the settlement. These features make it possible to infer that this last accumulation formed during the cold stages of the LIA.

Roman Coins from Supsa-Kvavilnari (Lanchkhuti Municipality, Guria)

The objective of this study is to identify and describe randomly discovered silver coins in 2013 and 2023 along the eastern Black Seacoast, specifically in the Guria region. The focus will be on the villages of Kvavilnari and Supsa within the Lanchkhuti municipality. The research aims to determine various attributes of these coins, including their country of origin, city, emission years, and metrological parameters. Additionally, the study will explore the existence of parallel materials and investigate the reasons and methods contributing to the circulation of these coins within the specified research area.Following the conducted research, it was established that the discovered coins in Kvavilnari and Supsa represent Roman emperors from the following periods: drachmas with the names of Septimius Severus (193-211) - 3 coins, Julia Domna (†217) - 3 coins, Geta (209-211) - 2 coins, Caracalla (198-217) - 2 coins, and Fulvia Plautilla (202/5-211) - 1. Additionally, a Denarius of Septimius Severus (1 unit) was found in Supsa. Historically, Colchis was a part of the province of Cappadocia, and Roman forts along the eastern Black Sea coast often had garrisons transferred from this region. The political circumstances were accompanied by corresponding economic relations. Drachmas minted in Caesarea were widely circulated in Western Georgia during Roman times, serving as the primary means of exchange.In the study of coins, the paramount consideration is the examination of the discovery site. The area of Supsa-Ureki has yieldedRoman coins in the past. In 1942, during earthworks in Ureki, a Roman aureus, its replica, and several Caesarean drachmas were uncovered. Subsequently, in 1949, the same location revealed Cappadocian treasures, both accidentally and during archaeological excavations. The presence of Caesarian and Roman coins at the research site is associated with the Roman garrison stationed in Tsikhisdziri and Poti. Some scholars suggest that Septimius Severus established a garrison in the village of Moedani within the Lanchkhuti municipality. In such a scenario, the discovery of Roman coins in Kvavilnari and Supsa is considered natural and does not necessitate special commentary. The numismatic artifacts examined align seamlessly with the established patterns of coin circulation in Colchis. The unearthing of these coins underscores the imperative for archaeological investigations at the research points.

Biblical Call and Classical Response: Intertextuality and Image-Text Relations in Henricus Engelgrave’s Sermon Books

Abstract This paper aims to explore the unique structure and function of the emblems in Henricus Engelgrave’s (1610–70) sermon books (Lux evangelica, Caeleste pantheon, and Caelum empyreum). The emblems serve as introductions to sermons for Sundays and feast days of the liturgical year; they include two mottos: one biblical quotation and a quotation from classical Roman poetry. Based on a selection of exemplary emblems, this paper demonstrates that the second mottos are not merely decorative additions, as has sometimes been argued. Rather, they constitute key features in Engelgrave’s emblematic conception as they provide allegorical and pictorial imageries that affect the picturae of the emblems, the expression of the moral purpose of the sermons, and the relationship between both. This article is part of the special issue of the Journal of Jesuit Studies on Jesuit emblems and emblematic edited by Walter S. Melion.

Clássicos no fundo das minas

Over the course of this text we shall visit several sites of interaction between mineworkers and the ancient Greek and Roman classics. Beyond simply attesting to their existence, assessment of these interactions will cast some light on Graeco-Roman antiquity’s curious appeal to the mineworker of the period. But first I should contextualize this somewhat niche line of inquiry. The research into miner classics was undertaken when working with Edith Hall on her AHRC-funded project ‘Classics and Class in Britain 1789-1939’. The project was designed ‘to provoke a shift in the perception of the history of British classics, away from a conservative tradition of institutionalized elitism towards a brighter history of broadly inclusive cultural practice and inspired creativity’ (Stead; Hall, 2015, p. 19).

Оброблена кістка та ріг із Тіри-Білгорода римського та ранньомодерного часу (матеріали розкопок 2020—2021 рр.)

In 2020—2021, during excavations in the Civil Courtyard of the Akkerman Fortress, a collection of 26 bone items was collected, which are being published in the following article. The objects come from the layers and complexes mainly of the Modern (16th — 18th centuries) and Roman times and according to their functional purpose belong to several categories. The household items and the items for games (buckle fragments of knife handles, hookah mouthpieces, gambling or divination astragals, and a button), weapon products (rings for pulling back the bowstring), and work tools, facing plates, blanks and production waste are singled out. Items made of bone and horns are one of the main categories of material for the reconstruction of various aspects of the economy, everyday life and spiritual life of the ancient population. The analysed bone and horn objects are a small part of the collection of bone artefacts from the Tyras-Bilhorod excavations of the antique and modern periods, but they provide insight into the production of specialised crafts and manufacturing of bone products in individual households. Despite the small number of finds, the collection includes such categories of material as raw materials, blanks, production waste and finished items, which is one of the signs of the bone-cutting production presence directly on the territory of the city. Characterising the raw material base of the bone-cutting production, we should point out that the material for manufacturing was bones and horns of animals that were bred or obtained by the inhabitants of the city — a horse, a domestic bull, a sheep, a European deer and roe deer, as well as bone rays of the pectoral fins of sturgeon. During production, the peculiarities of the structure of bone raw materials were taken into account, which made it possible to use the shape of the bone/horn the best possible way to manufacture a specific object/tool. Certain types of bone objects existed in a rather wide chronological range (astragals for the game, plates — covers of knife handles etc.) The obtained results are important for the reconstruction of the bone-cutting and complement the existing ideas about the daily life of the inhabitants of Tyras-Bilhorod in the Roman and Modern times.

Writing Londinium with the Five Senses

In this paper, children's author Caroline Lawrence shares specific examples of how she gets inspiration for her historical novels by using the five senses. Based on a practical session during a conference on sensory archaeology, she writes about visiting museums and reenactment events, handling real and replica objects and trying to find other sensory links to the ancient world. Visual inspirations include the bones of the so-called Lant Street Teen from a Roman graveyard in Southwark, an ivory and iron knife buried with her and leather bikini bottom from a Roman era well. Bay leaves, frankincense and mastic have been found in Roman graves and along with the fishy scent of garum they provide olfactory inspiration. During the conference attendees chewed mastic gum, scraped scented oil off their forearms with a replica strigil and sipped posca: water diluted with vinegar. After several other practical examples, Caroline concludes with a purely imaginary guided meditation. 

A comparison of methods for assessing groundwater vulnerability in karst aquifers: the case study of Terminio Mt. aquifer (Southern Italy)

The assessment of groundwater vulnerability to pollution is becoming even more important all over the world due to the increase of impacts of human activities on groundwater resources and the related risks to the human health, economics, and the environment. Owing to the variability of methods known for estimating groundwater vulnerability, basically depending on hydrogeological parameters considered and the scale of analysis, the comparison of results of different methods appears straightforward for identifying the best approach in a given hydrogeological condition and reference scale. In such a view, this work attempts to assess the groundwater vulnerability of the Terminio Mt. karst aquifer, by applying four different groundwater vulnerability methods, index-based, and comparing results in order to identify the best performing one in karst environments. The study aquifer, located in the Picentini Mts Regional Park (Campania region, southern Italy) represents a strategic drinking water resource since Roman times and hosts massive groundwater resources which outflow mainly from tapped basal and subordinately perched springs.The peculiar characters of the study karst aquifer, which favour direct infiltration and groundwater recharge processes, as well as the occurrence of industrial, agricultural and grazing activities, make it very vulnerable to groundwater pollution, thus requiring a proper and careful territorial management.Beside the most frequently and generally used methods for assessing groundwater vulnerability, such as the DRASTIC and SINTACS, also DAC and COP methods specifically designed for karst aquifers were applied and mutually compared. Results of SINTACS, DRASTIC and DAC methods show groundwater vulnerability maps of the Terminio Mt. karst aquifer as chiefly characterized by two classes of intrinsic groundwater vulnerability, varying between the medium and high degrees. Furthermore, high and extremely high values of groundwater vulnerability were found in areas controlled by the shallow depth of the water-table. Instead, the COP method resulted as the most effective in identifying the endorheic areas and the related karst morphologies as very high groundwater vulnerability zones, therefore the most suitable in capturing specific hydrogeological features of karst areas that control groundwater pollution and vulnerability.Results obtained will support decision tools aimed at the land use planning and protection of karst aquifers from pollution in karst areas.

Depilatory Practices and the Dichotomization of Sexes in Twentieth-Century America

Depilatory practices (hair removal) have become commonplace for many in the United States, especially women. Although depilatory practices are now entrenched in American culture, their social enforcement has a surprisingly recent history. I review U.S. advertisements from the period 1915-1945 and situate the rise in popularity of hair removal in its historical context: the increased popularity of more revealing women’s clothing, changing conceptions of modesty, and stocking shortages. I then jump back further in history, and examine ancient Roman depilatory practices to further denaturalize and historicize hair removal. Finally, I reflect on how this history has shaped the present, through an empirical review of modern body hair perceptions. I assert that hair removal in America was originally, and remains, a tool for dichotomizing sexes amid fears about changing gender roles. Deviations from expected depilatory practices have become a social marker of queerness. These beliefs surrounding hair removal have created a unique and undue pressure for conformity in American women and men.

Військовий табір Коблеве та західний кордон хори Ольвії римського часу

In the article the results of the first archaeological investigations of the Roman military camp near Kobleve village on the left bank of the Tylihul estuary are highlighted. According to the extensive analysis of narrative and cartographic sources of the 19th century, it was possible to clearly determine the location of this camp and introduce it into the system of Roman period field fortifications on the territory between the Buh and Tylihul estuaries. The analysis of the obtained materials made it possible to partially reproduce the construction of the camp’s fortifications and outline the period of its operation in the second half of the 1st century AD. Considering the chronology of amphorae finds (light clay with double-barreled handles) and historical events, namely the combined campaign of T. Plautius Silvanus' troops to Chersonesos, it can be stated that the Kobleve camp, like other similar monuments in the region, was built in the third quarter of the 1st century AD. It should be noted that this object was part of the general system of protection of the Olbian chora during Roman times, which did not consist of linear defensive structures (ramparts with ditches, as it was previously believed), but of a system of fortifications of individual cities and settlements and military camps-forts erected near the most important highways. It should also be emphasised, that the Kobleve Roman fort and similar camps (Didova Khata III and Kamianka V) were located near high mounds with traces of fortifications on them. The camp with the mound formed a single observation and defense complex, which was responsible for the protection of certain sections and junctions of the main roads (in particular, the Road of the barbarians), crossings, as well as the northern borders of the Olbian polis of Roman times, at least from the third quarter of the 1st to the beginning of the 2nd centuries AD. After the stabilisation of the political and military situation in the region during the second half of the 1st century AD, the chora of Olbia had began to expand. In addition to other factors, the appearance of numerous plaques with dedications to Achilles Pontarchus, including along the Road of the barbarians in the area of Kobleve village, serve as markers of this. It testifies to the restoration of Olbia’s influence on these territories around the beginning of the 2nd century AD and the establishment of the western border of its chora along the left bank of the Tylihul estuary. Perhaps the influence of Olbia had spread further west. Finally, we emphasise that the field studies of the Kobleve Roman military camp are promising (to establish the planigraphy of the monument, the stratigraphy of the remains of the rampart and the ditch, as well as the identification of building remains inside its area).

Sebastiano Ittar, architetto: archeologia disegno, città progetto

This research, that was made possible thanks to the recent reorganization of the Ittar Fund at the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage of Catania, concerns the use of drawing as a method for understanding the relationship between the ancient fragment and the city. At the beginning of his career, the scarcely known architect Sebastiano Ittar (1768‑1847) used drawing as a tool to study the archaeological fragments he visited during his trips in the Mediterranean. In 1832, instead, Ittar conceived the well-known topographical plan of the city of Catania that was based on the concept of fragments as what remains of archaeological evidence. The last element considered in the article is the relationship between the archaeological fragments and the city as a source of creative architectural inspiration. Ittar’s project for Palazzo Scuderi-Bonaccorso is investigated in comparison with his sketches of an ancient Roman spa building, with the aim of demonstrating that for him archeology was not just a fruitful subject of study, but even a fertile source of inspiration.

A History of Biology

A History of Biology

Reflexivity and New Metanarratives. Contemporary English-language Retellings of Classical Mythology

Abstract The turn of the millennium has brought a revival of interest in the ancient Greek and Roman texts. Obviously, the legacy of antiquity is a permanent feature of Western literature and visual arts; yet, its contemporary manifestation has taken a novel form, that of a retelling. It is a new trend in which a well-known text belonging to the canon is given an unorthodox interpretation, which exposes the ethnic, class, and gender prejudices present in the original. Mythological retellings are often written in an accessible manner containing features of genre fiction, which makes the revised version palatable to ordinary readers. A characteristic feature of mythic fantasy is the shift of focus from heroic exploits to private life as well as putting previously marginal characters into limelight. The retellings are a consequence of new, reflexive research angles that have appeared in the field of the classics.

The Scene of the “Holiday” in the Draft and Printed Text of Dostoevsky’s “Demons”

The article analyzes the material of the draft manuscript of F. M. Dostoevsky’s novel “Demons”, specifically, the pages containing the scene of Karmazinov reading his work “Merci”. The draft manuscript of the novel “Demons” is a syntactically coherent text containing a large number of author’s edits between the lines and in the margins. The analysis of the manuscript made it possible to identify inaccuracies in its reading by publishers that negatively affect the interpretation of the text. In addition, this analysis helped to correct these errors and accompany them with the necessary textual commentary, affecting, in particular, such problems as the establishment of the text, the identification and analysis of new discrepancies (variants) between the sources of the text, as well as text omissions in print. The textual part of the work is continued by the historical-literary and real commentary proposed in the article based on the newly discovered information about the features of the creation of the artistic concept of “Demons,” explaining the significance of literary and historical motifs that are associated with ancient culture and history for the novel plot. In the process of analyzing handwritten and printed sources, literary and historical allusions were established, which the specified episode of the novel “Demons” contains. In addition, the article examined the historical subtext and symbolism of ancient motifs that were reflected in the scene of literary reading in “Demons,” as well as the content of some historical sources (works by ancient authors on the history of Ancient Rome; lectures by T. N. Granovsky, who became the prototype of the hero of the novel, Stepan Trofimovich Verkhovensky). New information revealed during the study of the draft manuscript of “Demons” indicates, on the one hand, that the ancient “trace” played an important role in the development of the idea of this novel, on the other hand, the complexity of the novel’s narrative structure.

ASSESSMENT OF OENOLOGICAL RESOURCES OF TRANSCARPATHIA

Winemaking in Transcarpathia is one of the traditional occupations of the local population, which has an ancient historical basis, due to which the historical aspect plays a particularly important role in the structure of enological resources and forms their regional uniqueness. Viticulture and winemaking in Transcarpathia originated about 2,000 years ago. There is evidence that grapes were grown in this region as early as the 2nd century. This is due to the fact that the region was in contact with the ancient Roman provinces of Upper Dacia and Pannonia. After the invasion of Zakarpattia by the hordes of Batia, the vineyards were completely destroyed, and only in 1254, the Hungarian king Bela IV invited German and Italian winegrowers and winemakers (winzlers) to populate the devastated area. He granted colonists and the small population of the region the right to plant vineyards, make and sell wine, exempting them from taxes and church tithes for 10 years. In the 13th-15th centuries, a large part of the vineyards of Transcarpathia belonged to monasteries. The beginning of the 16th century was characterized by intensive development of viticulture and winemaking. Mukachevo and Berehiv wines go not only to meet the needs of local feudal lords and the population of the region, but also end up on the royal table. Keywords: grapes, cultivation, fruiting, resource

The Roman Destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem: An Intercultural Conflict between Pietas and Politics

Intercultural encounters in modern and ancient times carry the potential for conflict and it can be assumed that the mechanisms that lead to hostilities between different ethnic or cultural groups follow similar patterns. In the long history of ancient Rome conflicts based on religious differences were, in contrast to current times, the exception. It seems that one of those cases was the Jewish rebellion in 66-73 CE which resulted among others in the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem and the diaspora of Jews across the Mediterranean. The available sources on the conflict are contradictory. On one side they suggest that the Romans respected the religious feelings and traditions of the Jews but on the other side, after the defeat of the rebels, the temple and the city walls were razed. In the triumphal procession to celebrate the successful campaign, sacred objects of the Jews were presented as spoils of war.
 The present article aims to explore which of both perspectives is more representative of the ancient reality and what constituted the underlying patterns of the conflict. In order to analyse the available information, insights from the psychology of cross-cultural encounters are applied. It is being argued that the combination of the interpretatio Romana, the translation of foreign deities to the pantheon of Roman gods and goddesses, with the concept of pietas, the dutiful devotion to those gods, was a foundation that prevented for the most part conflicts based on religious differences in the ethnically and culturally heterogeneous Roman Empire. However, Roman and Jewish society and culture can be understood as antithetical concepts with almost no cultural links. In this fundamental state of opposition small and rather irrelevant events can contribute to the occurrence of conflicts that may be, due to the lack of commonalities between both groups, difficult to solve.

The Property Rights of the Church in the Roman Empire

The present paper deals with the legal capacity and especially the property rights of the growing Christian communities and church institutions within the Roman Empire from the beginning to the Justinianic era. In the beginning, the believers’ charitable donations became the property of the bishops. Later, when the local Christian communities became legal persons, the property of the bishops was separated from the property of the congregations. The local churches could already own real estate before 313. After 313, the legal capacity of the Catholic congregations was confirmed. Later, following the example of local churches, monasteries and finally charitable institutions also became legal entities. Charitable houses were also personal associations and not foundations; independent foundations – similarly to the rules of classical Roman law – did not exist in Justinianic law. The edicts of the Christian emperors greatly facilitated the acquisition of property by local churches, monasteries and charitable institutions. Furthermore, a number of legal rules were made for the special protection of ecclesiastical property.

The Collective Realms in the Chinese City: Towards an Alternative Framework for Public Space

A western discourse of public space, originating in ancient Greece and Rome, has been widely used in architectural and urban research in China and is constantly contested in this geographical and cultural context. The contestation often stems from the cultural differences in understanding and operating the collective realms in Chinese and western cities, which is manifested through the distinctive features of their public spaces. This essay frames an alternative perspective on public space in the Chinese context by exploring the cultural, social, and spatial constructions of collective realms in the Chinese city.Starting from the conceptual origin of the ‘public’ in Chinese philosophy, this paper elaborates on three culturally grounded ideas related to collective patterns of space creation and practice – the relational circle, the realm of strangers, and the marketplace – and examines how these ideas are articulated by architectural and urban archetypes and in urban developments in Chinese cities.

Probiotics for chronic rhinosinusitis, olfactory recovery following omicron variant infection and aural myiasis in Ancient Rome.

Probiotics for chronic rhinosinusitis, olfactory recovery following omicron variant infection and aural myiasis in Ancient Rome.

Tracing early life histories from Roman times to the Medieval era: weaning practices and physiological stress

In humans, breastfeeding and weaning depend on the infant’s needs and physiology but are also influenced by environmental and cultural factors. While infant feeding strategies vary across different regions and historical eras, the associated transition from breastmilk to solid foods is universally thought to be stressful. However, still little is known about infant feeding practices and possibly associated stress in former times. This also applies to the period of transition from classical antiquity to medieval times, which shaped modern Western civilization. To enhance the understanding of childhood nutrition and stress during this period, we first analyzed stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in serial dentine samples from the first molars of 38 individuals buried in the region once known as the Roman frontier province of Raetia secunda, now encompassing Southern Bavaria. In addition, we investigated the presence of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH), known to be a marker of unspecific physiological stress, within their dentition. We used this data to create isotope profiles that display dietary changes in comparison with the occurrence of LEH. We found highly variable δ15N and δ13C values and different shapes of isotope profiles which indicate different nutrition of breastfeeding individuals, complementary foods and post-weaning diets, and individual weaning patterns. For most individuals, the weaning process was completed between the ages of two and three. Interestingly, some females of non-local origin show longer weaning periods, likely displaying the influence of different cultural practices in other communities. We also found that LEH most frequently occurred in the post-weaning phase, which supports the assumption that children were at increased risk once breastfeeding had ceased completely. Furthermore, a change in the post-weaning diet in the seventh century coincided with an increased prevalence of LEH, indicating that the foods chosen or available during this time affected the susceptibility of children to stress. In conclusion, our study unveiled diverse infant feeding strategies practiced across various communities, both in different historical eras and geographical locations.

Institutional Genidentity

Abstract An abbreviated history of marriage helps motivate the question of whether ancient Roman marriage and contemporary love marriage could qualify as stages of the same (token) institution despite carrying significantly different functions, deontological powers, and constitutive rules. Having raised the question of institutional identity over time, I proceed to answer the question by appealing to Kurt Lewin's notion of genidentity. Lewin intends the notion of genidentity to track the spatiotemporal unfolding of different physical and biological processes, such as ontogenesis. I extend the notion of genidentity to the institutional sphere by identifying two ‘re-anchoring mechanisms’ that would describe the conditions under which institutions with different characteristics could nevertheless qualify as the same institution across time. First, formal institutions can be re-anchored by way of a self-amending secondary rule. Second, informal institutions can be re-anchored by leveraging the inherent indeterminacy of the exemplars that indexically define them. I then argue ancient Roman marriage and contemporary love marriage are genidentical in virtue of the actions of a (mostly) informal re-anchoring mechanism.