A Companion to the Archaeology of the Roman Empire, 2 Volume Set (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World)

A one-of-a-kind exploration of archaeological evidence from the Roman Empire between 44 BCE and 337 CE In A Companion to the Archaeology of the Roman Empire , distinguished scholar and archaeologist Professor Barbara Burrell delivers an illuminating and wide-ranging discussion of peoples, institutions, and their material remains across the Roman Empire. Divided into two parts, the book begins by focusing on the “unifying factors,” institutions and processes that affected the entire empire. This ends with a chapter by Professor Greg Woolf, Ronald J. Mellor Professor of Ancient History at UCLA, which summarizes and enlarges upon the themes and contributions of the volume. Meanwhile, the second part brings out local patterns and peculiarities within the archaeological remains of the City of Rome as well as almost every province of its empire. Each chapter is written by a noted scholar whose career has focused on the subject. Chronological coverage for each chapter is formally 44 BCE to 337 CE, but since material remains are not always so closely datable, most chapters center on the first three centuries of the Common Era, plus or minus 50 years. In addition, the book is amply illustrated and includes new and little-known finds from oft-ignored provinces. Readers will also find: A thorough introduction to the peoples and operations of the Roman Empire, including not just how the center affected the periphery ("Romanization") but how peripheral provinces operated on their own and among their neighbors Comprehensive explorations of local patterns within individual provinces Contributions from a diverse panel of leading scholars in the field A unique form of organization that brings out systems across the empire, such as transport across sea, rivers and roads; monetary systems; pottery and foodways; the military; construction and technology Perfect for graduate and advanced undergraduate students of archaeology and the history of the Roman Empire, A Companion to the Archaeology of the Roman Empire will also earn a place in the libraries of professional archaeologists in other fields, including Mayanists, medievalists, and Far Eastern scholars seeking comparanda and bibliography on other imperial structures. "The nature of the Romans' relationship with the sea can be summarized in one word: adversarial. The literary evidence makes plain that most Romans preferred and admired a terrestrial, agricultural life - consequently they disliked the sea and distrusted those who made a living on it. For Cicero, the downfall of Corinth and Carthage stemmed from the decision to abandon agriculture in favor of maritime commerce (Vishnia 1988). Of course, the literary evidence primarily reflects the attitudes of the senatorial class, who regarded merchants as lying thieves, and their workplace a source of corruption polluted by the immoral ideas of foreigners (Horden and Purcell 2000). Funerary inscriptions, not surprisingly, paint a different picture by revealing that Roman merchants prided themselves on honesty and integrity (Knapp 2011, 8-10). History suggests that the Romans took to the sea only out of necessity. During the Punic Wars, the first sizable Roman fleet was realized by replicating a captured Carthaginian warship. The vessel that eventually became the backbone of the imperial provincial fleets was borrowed from Illyrian pirates. The Roman navy was regarded as a less prestigious branch of the military, comparable to the auxilia staffed by non-citizens and commanded by equestrians. Discharge diplomas and funerary inscriptions show that Roman sailors were referred to as milites, and served 26 years, or one year longer than their terrestrial counterparts in the auxilia. The technical, naval terminology of the Romans contains very few words of Latin derivation; the vast majority were borrowed or adapted from Greek"-- Provided by publisher