Ethnic Constructs in Antiquity: The Role of Power and Tradition (Amsterdam Archaeological Studies (Hardcover))

This bold and original volume explores themes of ethnicity and ethnogenesis in the societies of the ancient world. It starts with a current view held by many in the social and historical sciences, namely that ethnicity is a subjective concept shaped through an interaction with the ethnic other. The thirteen essays collected here analyze historical, epigraphic, and archaeological source material in order to consider the dynamic nature of ethnic formations over time, and range thematically from archaic Greece to early medieval Western Europe. This Volume Explores The Theme Of Ethnicity And Ethnogenesis In Societies Of The Ancient World. Its Starting Point Is The Current View In The Social And Historical Sciences Of Ethnicity As A Subjective Construct That Is Shaped Through Interaction With An Ethnic 'other'. The 13 Essays Collected In This Volume Are Based On The Analysis Of Historical, Epigraphic And Archaeological Source Material And Thematically Range From Archaic Greece To Early Mediaeval Western Europe. Despite Frequent Claims By Ethnic Groups To The Contrary, All Ethnic Formations Are Intrinsically Unstable And Dynamic Over Time. Much Of This Dynamism Is To Be Understood In Close Association With Conflict, Violence And Changing Constellations Of Power. The Explicit Theoretical Framework, Together With The Wide Range Of Case-studies Makes This Volume Indispensable For Historians, Archaeologists And Social Scientists With An Interest In The Ancient World. Ethnic Expression On The Early Iron Age And Early Archaic Greek Mainland : Where Should We Be Looking? / Catherine Morgan -- The Ionians In The Archaic Period : Shifting Identities In A Changing World / Jan Paul Crielaard -- From Athenian Identity To European Ethnicity : The Cultural Biography Of The Myth Of Marathon / Hans-joachim Gehrke -- Multi-ethnicity And Ethnic Segregation In Hellenistic Babylon / Bert Van Der Spek -- The Galatians In The Roman Empire : Historical Tradition And Ethnic Identity In Hellenistic And And Roman Asia Minor / Karl Strobel -- Material Culture And Plural Identity In Early Roman Southern Italy / Douwe Yntema -- Foundation Myths In Roman Palestine : Traditions And Reworkings / Nicole Belayche -- Ethnic Discourses On The Frontiers Of Roman Africa / Dick Whittaker -- Cruptorix And His Kind : Talking Ethnicity On The Middle Ground / Greg Woolf -- Hercules And The Construction Of A Batavian Identity In The Context Of The Roman Empire / Nico Roymans -- Ethnic Identity In The Roman Frontier : The Epigraphy Of Batavi And Other Lower Rhine Tribes / Ton Derks -- Grave Goods, Ethnicity, And The Rhetoric Of Burial Rites In Late Antique Northern Gaul / Frans Theuws -- The Early-medieval Use Of Ethnic Names From Classical Antiquity : The Case Of The Frisians / Jos Bazelmans. Editors, Ton Derks & Nico Roymans. The Present Volume Derives From Two Meetings That Were Organised In The Framework Of The Research Programme Entitled The Batavians : Ethnic Identity In A Frontier Situation ... [which] Ran Between 1999 And 2005--p. 1. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. This volume explores the theme of ethnicity and ethnogenesis in societies of the ancient world. Its starting point is the current view in the social and historical sciences of ethnicity as a subjective construct that is shaped through interaction with an ethnic 'other'. The 13 essays collected in this volume are based on the analysis of historical, epigraphic and archaeological source material and thematically range from Archaic Greece to Early Mediaeval Western Europe. Despite frequent claims by ethnic groups to the contrary, all ethnic formations are intrinsically unstable and dynamic over time. Much of this dynamism is to be understood in close association with conflict, violence and changing constellations of power. The explicit theoretical framework, together with the wide range of case-studies makes this volume indispensable for historians, archaeologists and social scientists with an interest in the ancient world.Amsterdam Archaeological Studies is a series devoted to the study of past human societies from the prehistory up into modern times, primarily based on the study of archaeological remains. The series will include excavation reports of modern fieldwork; studies of categories of material culture; and synthesising studies with broader images of past societies, thereby contributing to the theoretical and methodological debates in archaeology.This title is available in the OAPEN Library - http://www.oapen.org Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 10 Ethnic expression on the Early Iron Age and early Archaic Greek mainland. Where should we be looking?......Page 20 The Ionians in the Archaic period. Shifting identities in a changing world......Page 46 From Athenian identity to European ethnicity – the cultural biography of the myth of Marathon......Page 94 Multi-ethnicity and ethnic segregation in Hellenistic Babylon......Page 110 The Galatians in the Roman Empire: historical tradition and ethnic identity in Hellenistic and Roman Asia Minor......Page 126 Material culture and plural identity in early Roman Southern Italy......Page 154 Foundation myths in Roman Palestine. Traditions and reworkings......Page 176 Ethnic discourses on the frontiers of Roman Africa......Page 198 Cruptorix and his kind. Talking ethnicity on the middle ground......Page 216 Hercules and the construction of a Batavian identity in the context of the Roman empire......Page 228 Ethnic identity in the Roman frontier. The epigraphy of Batavi and other Lower Rhine tribes......Page 248 Grave goods, ethnicity, and the rhetoric of burial rites in Late Antique Northern Gaul......Page 292 The early-medieval use of ethnic names from classical antiquity. The case of the Frisians......Page 330 Index of names and places......Page 348 List of contributors......Page 352