Roman Empire Research Articles

Domestic and Productive Earthen Architecture Conserved In Situ in Archaeological Sites of the Iberian Peninsula

For past societies on the Iberian Peninsula, one of the most prolific architectures was earthen construction, with a wealth of typologies and solutions derived from the legacy of local construction and materials. However, its study within the field of archaeology has been limited. The challenges posed by conservation, archaeological identification and social recognition have traditionally limited the dissemination of this type of architecture. Its low profile is perceived as fragile once the original protections collapse. The ethnological information preserved and linked to past ways of life and societies is crucial to the interpretation of the cultural development handed down over generations by different communities and now transmitted to the general public through archaeological sites. This research aims to provide an overview of the main earthen vestiges from domestic, productive and funerary architecture dating from the prehistoric, protohistoric, Roman and medieval periods. For this, a bibliographical review and data collection through fieldwork were conducted for numerous case studies. These included the classification of materials, compositions and construction techniques, creating an integrated comprehensive database with information on geography, measurements and the general state of conservation.

Venom: A Promising Avenue for Antimicrobial Therapeutics.

Venom in medicine is well documented in the chronicles of ancient Greece and the Roman Empire and persisted into the Renaissance and even into the modern era. Venoms were not always associated with detrimental consequences. Since ancient times, the curative capacity of venom has been recognized, portraying venom as a metaphor for pharmacy and medicine. Venom proteins and peptides' antimicrobial potential has not undergone systematic exploration despite the huge literature on natural antimicrobials. In light of the escalating challenge of antimicrobial resistance and the diminishing effectiveness of antibiotics, there is a pressing need for innovative antimicrobials capable of effectively addressing illnesses caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms. This review adds to our understanding of the effectiveness of different venom components against a host of pathogenic microorganisms. The aim is to illuminate the various antimicrobials present in venom and venom peptides, thereby emphasizing the unexplored medicinal potential for antimicrobial properties. We have presented a concise summary of the molecular examination of the venom peptides' functioning processes, as well as the current clinical and preclinical progress of venom antimicrobial peptides.

Nicholas of Cusa’s Idea of a “Just War”

Although Nicholas of Cusa (1401–1464) does not explicitly speak about “just war” in his writings, the third book of his most important political work, The Catholic Concordance (De Concordantia Catholica), contains several text passages on feuds that reveal his idea of a “just war.” As a doctor of canon law, Cusanus rejected all kinds of feuds which often led to private wars among nobles. He saw the rampant feuds as a major reason for the decline and destabilization of the Holy Roman Empire. His idea of a “just war” is influenced primarily by many canonistic and moral-theological writings, especially the ideas of Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae. For Nicholas of Cusa war and violence are only justified under certain circumstances: if they are authorized by the emperor as supreme ruler or by the imperial courts, when there is a just cause, such as defence against external and internal enemies, and when they are done with the right intention, such as the restoration of peace.

Bibliometric Analysis of Constantinople Studies Through Voswiever

This study aims to map the studies on the concept of Constantinople. Within the scope of quantitative data, the study aims to provide researchers with a systematic summary of the existing literature on Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire for about 11 centuries, using bibliometric analysis, and to identify trends and gaps in the study of Constantinople. The unit of analysis is based on the bibliometric data of different types of works scanned in the Web of Science database and published between 1975 and 2024. When examining the distribution of 1939 works on this subject according to the years of publication, the highest concentrations are observed in 2021 (144 works), 2022 (130 works), and 2019 (107 works). The authors who published the most works are Alessandra Bravi (13 works), Judith Herrin (13 works), and Sofia Kotzabassi (10 works). The predominant types of publications are journal articles (1280), book reviews (463), and book chapters (213). In terms of research fields, History (1018), Medieval Studies (733), Art (166), Archaeology (137), and Area/Regional Studies (65) are the most represented. Regarding the distribution of publications by country, the USA (258), Russia (197), and the UK (1377) are the leading publishers. The majority of works were published in English (1067), Russian (269), and French (184). The primary indexing databases include AHCI (1033), ESCI (581), and SSCI (122). The most frequently used keywords in publications on Constantinople include Byzantium (416 repetitions), Roman Empire (127 repetitions), Old Russian (70 repetitions), and Kemalism (58 repetitions).

Unsuccessful Peace-making: the Mission of Francesco da Collo and Antonio de Conti to Moscow (1518-1519)

This article explores the peace mission of Francesco da Collo and Antonio de Conti, envoys of Emperor Maximilian I of the Holy Roman Empire, to Grand Prince Vasily III of Moscow in 1518–1519. The mission aimed to mediate between Moscow and the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth, seeking to align both states for a planned united Christian campaign against the Ottoman Empire, whose expansion in Southeastern Europe posed a serious threat. The study centers on da Collo’s report from the mission, which not only chronicles the negotiations but also provides rare insights into Russian diplomacy and courtly traditions of the early 16th century. The article underscores the critical role of ceremonial practices, such as receptions, banquets, and hunts, in the diplomatic culture of the period.Particular focus is given to da Collo's accounts of his interactions with Vasily III and his entourage, highlighting the crucial importance of personal meetings and informal contacts in the diplomatic process of the time. Despite the envoys' efforts, the mission achieved only a temporary one-year truce, with insurmountable barriers to a comprehensive peace including territorial disputes—especially over the control of Smolensk—and the issue of repatriating Russian prisoners of war from Poland.Furthermore, da Collo’s report serves as an early illustration of how Muscovy was constructed as an eastern, despotic power, offering one of the first examples of Russia being depicted as the “Other” in early modern European thought. The study sheds light on the complex dynamics of diplomacy in this era and reveals how these interactions contributed to the broader European perception of Russia as an alien and adversarial state.

Take a handful of nuts in a bowl! Turned wooden vessel with hazelnuts from Czarnówko against the background of other finds from cemeteries of the Wielbark culture

Abstract In 2009, during research of a cemetery of the Wielbark culture in Czarnówko (Lębork District, Pomerania), an inhumation grave was discovered, which contained the remains of a wooden bowl with copper alloy fittings. Inside it, several hazelnuts were preserved. This vessel, in the light of the analysis carried out, was made of alder wood using a turning technique. Discoveries of this type are not only rare in the area of the Wielbark culture, but also in the rest of Central European Barbaricum. This article presents the results of the archaeobotanical research and demonstrates the bowl in the broader context of Roman Period discoveries.

Bronze Age to Roman period salt production in the coastal areas of peninsular Italy: Palaeoenvironments, production methods and archaeological evidence

The landscape characteristics and salt production methods along the coasts of peninsular Italy from the Bronze Age to the Roman period are examined, with a focus on the significance of marine salt for Italy's ancient food economy, given the limited availability of rock salt. Two main methods of marine salt production are highlighted. Briquetage involves using clay or pottery containers to evaporate seawater, which requires specific environmental conditions such as clay availability and significant human labour and technological skill. Conversely, salterns consist of creating shallow ponds or pools for seawater evaporation, demanding flat coastal areas, a stable climate, and controlled seawater flow. While this method is less labour-intensive, it requires substantial initial infrastructure.The potential for salt production in Italy's coastal palaeoenvironments using either method has been evaluated. Key factors include coastal geomorphology, climate stability, and access to raw materials. This environmental data supports an analysis of archaeological remains from salt production sites active from the Bronze Age to the Roman period. The assessment focuses on the material evidence such as clay containers from briquetage and structural remains of salterns, aiming to understand the spatial and temporal distribution of these sites.The discussion also explores the geopolitical implications of salt production, examining how the distribution and development of these sites were affected by broader geopolitical shifts in Italy, including the impact of (proto)urbanization on the expansion and adaptation of salt production practices.

ROMANS AT BESA: NEW LIGHT ON AN ATHENIAN DEME IN THE IMPERIAL PERIOD

Abstract This article presents an overview of Roman citizens registered in the small Attic deme of Besa. The epigraphic record indicates that three Roman emperors—Hadrian, Commodus and Severus Alexander—were enrolled as citizens in this deme, as was the influential eastern magnate G. Julius Antiochus Epiphanes Philopappos and several men who dominated Athenian politics during the High Imperial period. We argue that Hadrian's enrolment and repeated sojourns in Athens encouraged various individuals—including two of his successors—to join this deme, but why did the emperor himself choose Besa and not a larger, more important deme in the city's civic centre? Consequently, where did he live while serving as eponymous archon of Athens in 111/112 and later during his visits to the city as emperor? By synthesizing epigraphic, literary, archaeological and environmental sources, this paper offers the first comprehensive examination of Besa and its Roman citizens, highlighting the deme's significance within imperial Athens and the broader Roman empire. Finally, it suggests avenues for further interdisciplinary research in the study of this region of south Attica.

The Downturn of Egypt’s Eastern Desert in the Middle Roman Imperial Period

Roman activity in Egypt’s Eastern Desert fluctuated significantly, ranging from intense exploitation of its resources and desert routes that facilitated Indo-Mediterranean trade, to the Roman Empire’s near total abandonment of the region. In those areas crucial to the Roman state – stone quarries, Red Sea ports, desert road stations and mining settlements – a nadir in occupation occurs near the mid-third century CE. But archaeological evidence indicates that significant reductions in activity occurred between the late second and early third centuries CE – i.e., in the Antonine and Severan Periods. The downturn was probably a result of distant geopolitical engagements, outbreaks of disease and/or shifting patterns of trade, which led to the Empire’s neglect of and gradual withdrawal from the area. This article reviews the archaeology of the Eastern Desert and considers the reason(s) this once-important region fell into decline. [Formula: see text]

Survey on Roman {2}-Domination

The notion of Roman {2}-domination was introduced in 2016 as a variant of Roman domination, a concept inspired by a defending strategy used by the emperor Constantine (272–337 AD) to protect the Roman Empire. Since then, a considerable number of papers on Roman {2}-domination and its variants have been published. In this paper, we survey published results on Roman {2}-domination as well as the main findings on Roman {2}-domination variants found in the literature. A list of open problems related to this notion and its variants are also given.

Low Genetic Impact of the Roman Occupation of Britain in Rural Communities.

The Roman period saw the empire expand across Europe and the Mediterranean, including much of what is today Great Britain. While there is written evidence of high mobility into and out of Britain for administrators, traders, and the military, the impact of imperialism on local, rural population structure, kinship, and mobility is invisible in the textual record. The extent of genetic change that occurred in Britain during the Roman military occupation remains underexplored. Here, using genome-wide data from 52 ancient individuals from eight sites in Cambridgeshire covering the period of Roman occupation, we show low levels of genetic ancestry differentiation between Romano-British sites and indications of larger populations than in the Bronze Age and Neolithic. We find no evidence of long-distance migration from elsewhere in the Empire, though we do find one case of possible temporary mobility within a family unit during the Late Romano-British period. We also show that the present-day patterns of genetic ancestry composition in Britain emerged after the Roman period.

CORRECTING MODEL MISSPECIFICATION IN RELATIONSHIP ESTIMATES.

The datasets of large genotyping biobanks and direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies contain many related individuals. Until now, it has been widely accepted that the most distant relationships that can be detected are around fifteen degrees (approximately 8 th cousins) and that practical relationship estimates have a ceiling around ten degrees (approximately 5 th cousins). However, we show that these assumptions are incorrect and that they are due to a misapplication of relationship estimators. In particular, relationship estimators are applied almost exclusively to putative relatives who have been identified because they share detectable tracts of DNA identically by descent (IBD). However, no existing relationship estimator conditions on the event that two individuals share at least one detectable segment of IBD anywhere in the genome. As a result, the relationship estimates obtained using existing estimators are dramatically biased for distant relationships, inferring all sufficiently distant relationships to be around ten degrees regardless of the depth of the true relationship. Existing relationship estimators are derived under a model that assumes that each pair of related individuals shares a single common ancestor (or mating pair of ancestors). This model breaks down for relationships beyond 10 generations in the past because individuals share many thousands of cryptic common ancestors due to pedigree collapse. We first derive a corrected likelihood that conditions on the event that at least one segment is observed between a pair of putative relatives and we demonstrate that the corrected likelihood largely eliminates the bias in estimates of pairwise relationships and provides a more accurate characterization of the uncertainty in these estimates. We then reformulate the relationship inference problem to account for the fact that individuals share many common ancestors, not just one. We demonstrate that the most distant relationship that can be inferred using IBD may be 200 degrees or more, rather than ten, extending the time-to-common ancestor from approximately 300 years in the past to approximately 3,000 years in the past or more. This dramatic increase in the range of relationship estimators makes it possible to infer relationships whose common ancestors lived before historical events such as European settlement of the Americas, the Transatlantic Slave Trade, and the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.

PhD in History, Sapienza University of Rome Independent Researcher, Rome, Italy

Abstract. The “History of the Wars”,1 and specially “The Vandalic War”2 written by the Byzantine chronicler and general Procopius of Caesarea (Caesarea Maritima ca. 590 AD- Constantinople ca. 560-65 AD ca.)3 represent an important literary source for the knowledge about the steppe populations living or moving on the western part of the Caspian Sea until the Western Europe, mainly regard those contemporary at the put in writing of the Procopius' works, namely the half of the VI century AD. This happened because Procopius himself has been personally present or involved in most of the events that he has related. In fact, he was a very high rank character (legal advisor, adsessor) starting by the first year of the ascend to the throne of Justinian I (527 AD), following the byzantine general Belisarius (ca. 500-565 AD)4 in his many military campaigns on various war theatres. Thus, under the orders of Belisarius he was on the border area with the Persian Empire against the Sasanians in the Iberian War (526-532 AD.), in the North Africa against the Vandals (533-534 AD) and in Italy against the Ostrogoths (535-540 AD). In 551 AD Procopius completed his work regarding these warlike events, the History of the Wars in seven books and, after, he wrote another book in 553 AD where he relates about the Lazic War (551-553 AD). The books III and IV of the History of the Wars regard the Vandalic War, namely the military expedition organized by Belisarius against the Kingdom of the Vandals and Alans5 in North Africa. In this expedition there were a consistent force of Huns at the 1 2 3 4 5 Principally, here we follow these editions: Anthony Kaldellis (ed.); Ian Mladjov; H.B Dewing (trans.), Prokopios, The Wars of Justinian, Hacket Pub Co Inc, Indianapolis/Cambridge, 2014. Ibidem, pp. 144-251; Kaldellis, Anthony: Prokopios’ Vandal War: Thematic Trajectories and Hidden Transcripts, in: S. T. Stevens & J. Conant, eds., North Africa under Byzantium and Early Islam, Washington, D.C: Dumbarton Oaks, 2016, 13–21. Naturally, on Procopius and his life and works, there is a huge literature in various languages. Here we recommend only some works where is possible to find more exhaustive bibliographic indications and discussions: Börm, Henning: Procopius of Caesarea, in Encyclopaedia Iranica Online, New York 2013, https://iranicaonline.org/articles/procopius ; Cameron, Averil: Procopius and the Sixth Century. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985; Meier, Mischa and Federico Montinaro (eds.): A Companion to Procopius of Caesarea. Brill, Leiden 2022. For a biography of Belisarius, see: Martindale, John R., ed. , The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume III, AD 527–641, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. 1992 p. 182, and Hughes, Ian, Belisarius: The Last Roman General. Yardley, Pennsylvania: Westholme Publishing , 2009. A part of Alans, a steppe people of iranic language, united themselves with the Vandals in their Reconstructing the Past: Journal of Historical Studies 19 Volume 2 Number 3 September 2024 Byzantine service, and precisely in the Procopius writings that we can find the personal events of a lot of them and interesting accounts on some of their customs and traditions. In this article will be underlined and analyzed both these Huns and the events in connection with them during and after this African campaign. Keywords: Huns, Africa, Procopius of Caesarea, Attila, Vandals, Alans

Patriarch Dioscorus of Alexandria: The Last Pharaoh and Ecclesiastical Politics in the Later Roman Empire by Volker L. Menze (review)

Patriarch Dioscorus of Alexandria: The Last Pharaoh and Ecclesiastical Politics in the Later Roman Empire by Volker L. Menze (review)

Multi-Technique Characterization of Cartonnage and Linen Samples of an Egyptian Mummy from the Roman Period

The historical and cultural significance of artistic works and archaeological artifacts underscores the imperative use of non-destructive testing methods in cultural heritage objects. Analyzing pigments in artwork poses a specific analytical challenge that demands a combination of various techniques to accurately determine chemical compositions. In this context, our work focused on the multi-analytical characterization of samples derived from fragments of a Roman-era Egyptian mummy named Kherima, dating back to around 200 AD. To identify the layers and elemental composition of the pigments used in the decoration, various techniques were employed: X-ray microfluorescence (µXRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), high-resolution optical microscopy (OM), and X-ray computed microtomography (microCT). This multi-analytical approach facilitated the identification of the original pigments in the analyzed mummy fragments, along with insights into the materials used in the ground layer and the techniques applied in artifact manufacturing, indicating their accordance with the historical period and region to which they originally belonged.

Global Monarchy: Royal Encounters in the Age of Empire

AbstractMonarchy is one of the oldest truly global social structures. On the eve of the imperial age, most of the world was governed by monarchs. But as the European empires expanded, this order was radically transformed. During the long nineteenth century, most non-European monarchies were conquered by imperial powers. Often, European imperial powers abolished them, imprisoning, killing, or exiling local rulers; in other cases, the imperial powers incorporated the conquered monarchies into new imperial orders of indirect rule. Yet, there were some monarchies that survived Europe’s imperial expansion. In fact, every country that retained its independence in the era of high imperialism was ruled by a monarch: Ethiopia, China, Japan, the Ottoman empire, Persia (Iran), and Siam (Thailand). To some extent, these monarchs lived in the same social worlds as their European counterparts, forming a global, status-based community. This article offers some observations on the relationship between the world’s monarchs in the age of empire by focusing on encounters between European monarchs and those of the few non-European countries that retained their independence.

Physicochemical Analysis of Historical Ordu Taşbaşı Church Mortars and Recommendations for Restoration

Throughout history, the architecture of worship structures has been shaped based on different cultures and belief systems during the Roman, Seljuk, Anatolian Principalities, and Ottoman periods. Additionally, it is understood that the sociocultural and ritual structure in which the worship place is built plays a significant role in church architecture. In province of Ordu, rich in historical and cultural heritage, historical structures outside the city center have not been well preserved. In recent years, neglected historical structures have been restored through various methods with public investments, aiming to reintegrate them into urban life. Through chemical and mineralogical (by microscopy) examinations aimed at determining the types of historical structural materials used for this purpose, the preservation of historical structures in Ordu province and their transfer to future generations is targeted. Church structures, holding a distinct significance in the region’s history, exhibit various characteristics in terms of location, climate, and sociocultural and ritual aspects in the Black Sea region. In this regard, the restoration of the historical Taşbaşı Church in the Altınordu district of Ordu province has been carried out considering scientific techniques and methods, serving as a guide for similar studies in the region in terms of laboratory analysis, studies, planning, project development, and implementation stages.

Transparency at its best: neutrons probing archaeological glass finds from Romania

This paper demonstrates the suitability of Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) technique for the compositional study of ancient glass finds, illustrating this idea by presenting and commenting the chemical composition of 41 Roman glass fragments discovered in archaeological excavations at Tomis, Histria, and Beidaud, Romania. According to typological and stratigraphic criteria, most finds were dated to the 1st-4th centuries AD. The PGAA measurements were performed at the Budapest Neutron Centre (BNC), Hungary. Regardless of their color (or the lack of it), most of the analyzed vitreous items have compositional traits often encountered in coeval glass artefacts discovered at various sites all over the Roman Empire. The sample set turned out to include several examples of Foy Série 2.1 and a single HIMT glass item, in agreement with the later chronological attribution of the corresponding fragments. This study provides some information about the chemistry of the Roman glass finds unearthed during the archaeological research performed in the region of the western Black Sea coast.

Exploring the Historical Development and Impact of the Ancient Roman Period

Exploring the Historical Development and Impact of the Ancient Roman Period

From state financial control to modern audit: evolutionary development in Russia and other countries

The article is devoted to the study of the evolution of state financial control and audit. The historical facts of their origin in the Great Roman Empire, China, India, Great Britain, the USA and Russia are given. Four stages of audit development in modern Russia are identified and a fairly detailed description of each stage is given. The necessity of modernizing the process of self-regulation of the auditing profession is substantiated, taking into account the recommendations of the International Forum of Independent Regulators of Auditing, the development and effective implementation of a new Concept and a new Strategy of Russian audit, the implementation of which will create conditions for the consolidation of the audit professional community, contributing to the development and functioning of mechanisms for involving the audit community in the processes of solving strategic tasks aimed at improving the efficiency of functioning modern models of state financial control and audit, the development of the national economy and ensuring the economic security of the country. Special attention is paid to taking measures to increase the level of demand and value of the audit.