Senses of the Empire : Multisensory Approaches to Roman Culture

"The Roman empire afforded a kaleidoscope of sensations. Through a series of multisensory case studies centred on people, places, buildings and artefacts, and on specific aspects of human behaviour, this volume develops ground-breaking methods and approaches for sensory studies in Roman archaeology and ancient history. Authors explore questions such as: what it felt like, and symbolised, to be showered with saffron at the amphitheatre; why the shape of a dancer's body made him immediately recognisable as a social outcast; how the dramatic gestures, loud noises and unforgettable smells of a funeral would have different meanings for members of the family and for bystanders; and why feeling the weight of a signet ring on his finger contributed to a man's sense of identity. A multisensory approach is taken throughout, with each chapter exploring at least two of the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. The contributors' individual approaches vary, reflecting the possibilities and the wide application of sensory studies to the ancient world. Underlying all chapters is a conviction that taking a multisensory approach enriches our understanding of the Roman empire, but also an awareness of the methodological problems encountered when reconstructing past experiences" ... Provided by publisher Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 List of figures 8 List of tables 10 List of plates 11 Notes on contributors 12 Acknowledgements 16 Introduction: Senses of empire 18 1 The sounds of the city: From noise to silence in ancient Rome 30 2 The multivalency of sensory artefacts in the city of Rome 40 3 Beyond smell: The sensory landscape of the Roman fullonica 56 4 Soundscape of the street: Architectural acoustics in Ostia 71 5 Sensory archaeologies: A Vindolanda smellscape 88 6 A sense of grief: The role of the senses in the performance of Roman mourning 103 7 Blood, fire and feasting: The role of touch and taste in Graeco-Roman animal sacrifice 121 8 Babes in arms? Sensory dissonance and the ambiguities of votive objects 137 9 All that glitters: Roman signet rings, the senses and the self 158 10 Tuning into the past: Methodological perspectives in the contextualised study of the sounds of Roman antiquity 168 11 Motion sensors: Perceiving movement in Roman pantomime 180 12 Scents of place and colours of smell: Fragranced entertainment in ancient Rome 197 Afterword: Towards a methodology for Roman sensory studies 214 Bibliography 221 Index 243