Globalisation and the Roman World : World History, Connectivity and Material Culture

"This book explores a new perspective for understanding the Roman world, using connectivity as a major point of departure. Globalisation is apparent in increased flows of objects, people and ideas and in the creation of translocal consciousness in everyday life. Based on these criteria, there is a case for globalisation in the ancient Roman world. Essential for anyone interested in Romanisation, this volume provides the first sustained critical exploration of globalisation theories in Roman archaeology and history. It is written by an international group of scholars who address a broad range of subjects, including Roman imperialism, economics, consumption, urbanism, migration, visual culture and heritage. The contributors explore the implications of understanding material culture in an interconnected Roman world, highlighting several novel directions for future research"-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 Half-title page 3 Title page 5 Copyright page 6 Contents 7 Contributor biographies 9 Acknowledgements 11 Part I Introduction 13 1 Globalisation and the Roman world: perspectives and opportunities 15 2 Post-colonial and global Rome: the genealogy of empire 44 Part II Case studies 59 3 Globalisation and the Roman economy 61 4 Globalisation, circulation and mass consumption in the Roman world 81 5 The global and the local in the Roman empire: connectivity and mobility from an urban perspective 111 6 Polybius’s global moment and human mobility through ancient Italy 135 7 Roman visual material culture as globalising koine 153 8 OIKOYMENH: longue durée perspectives on ancient Mediterranean ‘globality’ 187 9 Globalisation and Roman cultural heritage 210 Part III Perspectives 235 10 Ancient Rome and globalisation: decentring Rome 237 11 Global, local and in between: connectivity and the Mediterranean 252 Works cited 267 Index 307