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ABSTRACT Ovid’s account of the Robigalia, the most detailed extant source for the festival, is also a poetic construct that exposes tensions underlying the pax Augusta. Ovid provides an unusual feminine characterization of Robigo, juxtaposing her with Ceres, and describing her destructive powers in ways that are both allusive and anthropomorphizing. The involvement of the flamen Quirinalis in the ritual introduces the warlike associations of Romulus/Quirinus. In addition, the placement of the festival within the calendrical structure of the month emphasizes the contrast between imperial anniversaries and a traditional agricultural goddess who threatens to put a “blight” on the pax Augusta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will present the epigraphical material concerning the family structures and social customs in Roman Lydia and Phrygia, from the 1st to the 3rd century AD. The familial vocabulary in these areas has more than 60 terms for describing the relationships between members of the family. This richness of familial language is quite characteristic for these areas, unlike the rest of the Roman Empire. Standard historical, epigraphical and philological methods were employed in acquiring the data. In addition, a modern sociological approach to family relations and the role of kinship connections in the wider social contexts was used to interpret the data themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to pursue the historical backgrounds of the "Pax Romana" and "Pax Sinica," and to analyze and compare them in their important aspects. The term "Pax Romana" is generally used to describe either the Roman Empire or the peace that prevailed through the empire. As a counterpart to this term, a newly established one, "Pax Sinica", is noteworthy in the context of civilization discourse or of the global world order. In short, following Julius Caesar's failure to achieve rapid innovation, "Pax Romana" could be based on the constitutional stability which Augustus reestablished along with an eclectic 'middle way' between convention and invention. Likewise the Emperor Wu of the Former Han Dynasty laid the foundation of "Pax Sinica" by adjusting Confucianism to Legalism in his government. This idea of "outside Confucian, inside Legalist (外儒内法)" has wielded a great influence on China and on the civilization of East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Merovingian society lacked longer periods of peace such as during the Pax Romana. The military was of central importance, not only on the field. Although the militarisation of post Roman society has never seriously been in doubt, the Merovingian elite has not yet been studied more particularly in consideration of its military role. This paper analyses which military groups could be considered part of the elite and which criteria might be used to define it from a modern perspective. As the military and the secular increasingly converged, this is indeed not an easy task. The study argues that even though several groups may be categorised as being part of a military elite, this is much more difficult at less elevated levels of the upper social strata, in which the transition between the elite and the rest of the freeborn, militarily active population is fluid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological and numismatic evidence for Roman trade in the Indian Ocean from the Augustan annexation of Egypt up to the early third century CE shows that the most intense period of contact and exchange was in the late first century CE. The arguments presented here challenge two major positions, which assert either a peak during the Julio-Claudian period or a continuing intensity of contact until at least the late second century CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the political metaphor of the body in ancient Roman words and images. The verbal metaphor of the ‘body of state’ (corpus rei publicae) gained particular rhetorical currency in the late Roman Republic; likewise, following Augustus’ rise to power in the later first centurybc, related ideas about thecorpus imperii(‘body of empire’) played a critical role in legitimising a system of effective one-man imperial rule. But how did this discursive verbal figure relate to the material bodies of Roman visual culture? The recourse to the body as political metaphor, it is argued, revolutionised the workings of Roman figurative imagery; by extension, the search for appropriate visual forms in which to render Augustus’ own body fleshed out discursive political ideas concerning the Augustan figurativecorpus imperii. To understand how the figure of the body was rendered into political metaphor in Late Republican/ Early Imperial Rome, no less than how that political metaphor was turned back into iconic figurative form, therefore requires working across visual and verbal categories. No less importantly, it means tackling larger questions about how words and images construct ideas about the body in at once related and different ways. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Roman period settlement zone east of Kraków extends for 30 km along the Vistula river valley. Settlement was closely related to morphological-hydrological situations. Sites were located close to the terrace edge, between ecosystems of the loess terrace and the floodplain, with optimal conditions for multidirectional economic activities, both agricultural and non-agricultural. Moreover, loess terrace flats were very convenient for land communication (in contrast to the not easy accessible floodplain). The Vistula River served as a water route, while small creeks supplied water to inhabitants. Although the same natural resources were available for inhabitants, they were not utilized in the same way, related to different settlement models. In the Roman period (especially in the 3rd–4th cent. AD) an important role, apart from developed agriculture, was played by various non-agricultural activities. Settlement sites can be divided into two zones. According to results of the most recent wide-scale research, stable settlement also encompassed floodplains. Settlement in the Vistula valley and on the Raba alluvial fan was influenced by changing natural conditions. Subboreal deep (3–4 m) incision of the Vistula bed and channels of its tributaries resulted in development of a narrow lower floodplain. The incision also produced good drainage of the higher floodplain, occupying almost the whole valley bottom. The effects of frequent floods were limited to intensive shaping of the lower floodplain. On the higher level, flood waters filled oxbows and backswamps. The point bars and old meander belts remained unflooded and the settlement there was undisturbed. Beneficial for settlement in the floodplain was: abundance of grazing ground for cattle, access to oak wood used in buildings and other non-agricultural activities, and availability of material required in pottery production. Agricultural progress from introducing new improved tools enabled exploitation of more “difficult” fluvisols. People living on loess terraces used small streams existing under the terrace edge. In contrast, access to water for inhabitants of floodplains was more difficult, due to the lack of creeks and with relatively deeper water tables (incision of river beds and draining of higher floodplains). For that reason, inhabitants of “desert-like” floodplains had to dig wells. Stable and long-standing settlement on the loess terrace developed non-agricultural production, dependent on resources acquired from the floodplain (oak wood, good quality loams, and Miocene clay from the outcrops on river banks) used in pottery production. The Raba river valley in the vicinity of the workshops supplied materials of lower quality for pottery production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germania Romana: the political evolution on the periphery of the expanding Roman world. The paper examines how the Roman Empire shaped political life in Germania in the first century A.D. It focuses primarily on the time span between Rome's subjugation of Germanic tribes on the both sides of the Rhine and the creation of provinces Germania Inferior and Germania Superior. Most attention is put on the likeliest scenarios leading to the growth of Roman or Roman-style institutions in Germania. Therefore, a creation of provincial administration, magistracies and military prefecture in the region are considered. An analysis of literary, epigraphic and archaeological sources shows that the process of political change in Germania implied neither uniformity nor synchronism and the ways to transform political life on the barbarian periphery were numerous. They varied from a complete assimilation of Germanic communities to no more than superficial political subjugation of neighboring client states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article looks at the historical and ethnic identities denoted by the terms Syrian and Assyrian during the late Hellenistic and Roman Imperial periods, focusing on the relevant implications of the use of Greek language by these groups during this era. Greek texts from first-century BCE poet Meleager and second-century CE writers Lucian of Samosata and Tatian are analyzed.

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Copyright of Danubius is the property of Danubius and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article reports on a conference on language and politics in the transition from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire, held in Berlin, Germany, from January 9-11, 2013. Using concepts of historical semantics introduced by historian Reinhart Koselleck, participants discussed such topics as the speeches of classical rhetorician Cicero in the context of the politics of late Republican Rome, the civil wars in the first century BCE, and themes of classical political philosophy.

Ocular pathologies are a natural phenomenon that can be detected empirically. All over the world, such phenomena are often interpreted as an index of inherent personal capacity for causing harm. The Graeco-Roman world was no exception. During the early Roman Principate, the literary representation of such malformations was clearly influenced by two genres that had been developed in the Greek world during the Hellenistic period. The first was the paradoxographic or mirabilia tradition, a literary genre that in the aftermath of Alexander's conquests inventoried supposed natural and anthropological wonders, reports that were subsequently brought up to date and adapted by Roman authors such as Cicero and Varro. The second was physiognomics, the systematization, mainly by the Peripatetics but also by some Hippocratic authors, of the popular idea that ethical character can be read from somatic signs. This paper understands Pliny the Elder's accounts of peoples and families able to cast the evil eye, objectified in the possession of a double pupil, as a significant aspect of his socio-moral account of the effects of world-empire upon Rome. In transposing the theme to his figure of the procuress Dipsas almost a century earlier, Ovid created a synecdoche for moral disorder at Rome itself shortly before the two Augustan laws of 18 b.c.e. regulating sexual conduct. In short, if we are to progress in our understanding of Roman socio-moral instrumentalization of ocular malformation in relation to the evil eye, we must pay careful attention to the contexts and strategies of our texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literary criticism is presented of the work of Roman historian Cassius Dio who wrote a Greek text entitled "Historia Augusta" (HA). The author examines the ideology of the senatorial class in this work within the wider historical frame of emperors' relationship to them, in particular emperor Commodus. Topics include a historical examination of Roman aristocrats Claudius Pempeianus, Helvius Pertinax, and Victorinus, the second of whom was Commodus' successor.

An essay is presented examining the history of the Roman cult of Magna Mater, also known as Cybele, between the Late Republic and Late Antiquity eras. Details are given describing the dual nature of the Magna Mater cult as being simultaneously foreign and distinctly Roman as well as having ambivalent connotations regarding the Roman concepts of masculinity. Various literary depictions of the cult and its eunuch followers, known as galli, are then reviewed in light of these dichotomies.

An analysis is offered examining the "Great Whore" of Babylon referenced in the New Testament book of Revelation, addressing the allegorical figure's characteristics and comparing it to the various institutions of prostitution seen in Roman society. Details are given describing the distinctions between brothel-based sex workers and "courtesans" from the 1st century. The use and significance of "sexual invective" within the political rhetoric of the book is also discussed in depth.

The emperor displayed his role as commander-in-chief through his actions as the soldiers' supreme benefactor, martial portraits on the coinage and imperial art, and speeches to particular army units. The fortunate survival of the text of Hadrian's speech at Lambaesis provides us with an exceptional record of how the emperor showed both an awareness of military techniques and empathy for the rigours of army life. In times of crisis, the emperor could address the soldiers directly, in order to ensure their continuing support for his rule. As a study on imperial witticisms has shown, what the emperor said was as important as what he did for the purpose of defining his role within the Principate. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

One of the most abhorrent events of Nero's reign, as viewed at the time and by commentators thereafter, was the premeditated murder of the emperor's mother Agrippina in March AD 59, which some have felt marked the end of the ‘five good years’ of Nero's reign, the quinquennium Neronis. The murder took place, not in Rome as many others that disfigured the Julio-Claudian dynasty, but on the Bay of Naples, more particularly on the Gulf of Pozzuoli at or near the resort of Baiae, modern Baia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Since the development of electronic records archivists and records managers have taken a renewed interested in the authentication of records. This has led some theorists to re-examine how records were authenticated in the past; however, little work has been done to look at how the Romans authenticated records in the first two centuries AD. Therefore this article provides an overview of the main methods of authentication used in the Early Empire aimed at interested archival theorists and practitioners. It is argued that written attestations, seals and witnesses were widely used to authenticate records in the Roman Empire. The evidence for Roman record offices is also discussed, with a particular focus on Roman Egypt as, due to the large numbers of papyri that have survived from this area, more is known about the system of record offices in this province than anywhere else in the Empire. The problems with these methods of authentication, including forgery and disorganisation, are noted, as are their links to Roman religion and social status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edition of a tiny fragment that sheds new light on the charges leveled against C. Vibius Maximus, Prefect of Egypt under Trajan in AD 103--107. Vibius was accused of maladministration, of interfering in the appointment of Alexandrian magistracies as well as in Alexandrian institutions (such as the ephebeia), and of having an improper affair with a young boy. It is tempting to recognize a reference to the latter in our fragment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are the key determinants of financial development and growth? A large literature debates the relative importance of countries' legal and political environment. In this paper, I present evidence from ancient Rome, where an early form of shareholder company, the societas publicanorum, developed. I show that the societas publicanorum flourished in a legally underdeveloped but politically supportive environment (Roman Republic) and disappeared when Roman law reached its height of legal sophistication but the political environment grew less supportive (Roman Empire). In the Roman case, legal development appears to have mattered little as long as the law as practiced was flexible and adapted to economic needs. The “law as practiced,” in turn, reflected prevalent political interests. After discussing parallels in more recent history, I provide a brief overview of the literature on law and finance and on politics and finance. The historical evidence suggests that legal systems may be less of a technological constraint for growth than previously thought—at least “at the origin.” (JEL D72, K10, N23, N43) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se compara el discurso del emperador romano Claudio durante el siglo VI ante el senado con el discurso reportado por historiador romano Cornelio Tácito en su libro, "Anales." A través de los dos discursos, el autor compara los puntos de vista de Claudio y Tácito con respecto a la política imperial romana.

The article discusses the prophetic activity and its contribution to the spreading of a revolt as presented by an ambiguous oracle presented by Josephus. It is suggested that the rhetorical function of the oracle was considered yet concluded that there is no compelling reason to dismiss the prophecy as the historian's own invention. Particular focus is given to the purpose of the oracle to the rebel leaders.

The article focuses on the study of the influence of the feminine relatives of the Roman knights from occidental provinces during the early Roman Empire, from ca 27 BCE to ca 235. According to the article, this study is based on a prosopographical research and aims to analyze the role of these women in the society of that period and their attitude toward their close relatives and how they contributed to their promotion at the Senate or the equestrian order. The author emphasizes the importance of mothers or in-laws in terms of social power.

The article discusses the role of the Roman calendar in the construction of Roman social identity during the Republican period of the Roman empire. It considers the development of the Roman civil and religious calendars, discusses their social constructive significance and explores their relationship to ethnic identities in the context of imperial expansion. The author describes various details of the Roman civil/religious calendar cycle, cites reforms by Julius Caesar (44 BCE) and Augustus (8 CE) and explores their role in the Romanization of the empire's population.

Though the primary function of Pliny's correspondence with Trajan was the transaction of imperial business, these letters could also serve as vehicles for the self-representation and public image of both correspondents, What made these letters mutually beneficial to Pliny and Trajan is the impression that emerges from them, artfully constructed, of a personal friendship between senator and emperor. Because Pliny and Trajan both benefited from being seen to correspond with one another on intimate terms, their letters can be interpreted as symbolic exchanges in a system in which the demonstration of friendship could serve as an important bearer of social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the legal concept of citizenship in the later years of the Roman Empire. In 212 c.e. emperor Caracalla issued the Antonine Constitution which granted Roman citizenship to the barbarian settlers in Roman territory; however, the author argues, the document did not definitively address the myriad of other citizenship distinctions such as civic, religious, provincial or ethnic. The model of inclusive citizenship presented by the Roman Empire demonstrates how the privileges and obligations of citizenship can shape national identities.

Discusses the events which underlay the disappearance of the western half of the Roman Empire in the fifth century AD. Arrival of the Hunnic tribes on the fringes of Europe; Plundering patterns of the Huns; Hunnic groups' establishment of power on Rome's Danube frontier; Government and social customs of the Huns; Invasions of the Radagaisus, the Rhine crossings and Uldin.

Analyzes the expulsion of Jews from first-century Rome in the framework of Roman policy toward Jews and other non-Roman peoples. Maintenance of law and order as reason for expulsions; Absence of a systematic Jewish policy in late Republican and early Imperial times.

Examines the historical accuracy of a passage written in a classical Latin manuscript that recounts the political triumph of the consul Metellus Scipio. Historical background on the politics at the time of the Roman public officer and his accession to power that led to his celebratory return to Rome; Traditional date placed by classical scholars on the tenure of Metellus Scipio's consulship and return to Rome; Inclusion of a dialogue between two friends and a sage that provides a backdrop for the return of Metellus Scipio.

The article re-examines the dating surrounding Roman grammarian Philo of Byblus, who lived in the second half of the first century and the first half of the second century AD. The author looks at the text of the Suda lexicon as well as the Greek text entitled "Die Fragmente der griechischen Historiker" (FGrH) to determine chronology, as well as the reigns of emperors Hadrian and Nero and the name of a historical character known as Herennius Severus.