Theme:
The archaeology of material culture, bodies and landscapes
Session format:
Session, made up of a combination of papers, max. 15 minutes each
Title:
YOU SEE A MAN'S HOME, YOU SEE THE MAN...
HOUSES AND THEIR DECORATION IN THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
Content:
During the Roman Imperial period the houses gained an exceptional role in the urban elites' life. In the Eastern Mediterranean the residences of rich citizens, constituting the core of the new curial class, reflected a trend among provincial notables in the Greek east to express their Romanitas. In altering plans and selecting design elements of houses, their owners wanted to respond to the demands of the new Roman society of which they were members. Thus, the residences became a way of owners’ self-presentation, the illustration of their status, political power or position in the society, reflecting simultaneously their traditional aesthetics and taste.
The main stress of organizers’ scientific interest is put on housing in Egypt, Cyrenaica and Cyprus, although all provinces of the Eastern Mediterranean may provide an opportunity to undertake such comprehensive studies.
The present session aims to perform a comparative analysis of housing to show the continuity (or discontinuity) of the Hellenistic tradition and the birth and development of new fashion during the imperial period. Looking for common characteristics and criteria of the housing decoration, we would like to emphasize architectural décor. We particularly welcome all papers investigating various aspects of tradition and innovation in housing in the Eastern Mediterranean, however our session panel is dedicated to all specialists interested in the domestic architecture, its planimetry and decoration studied together. It may start discussion of the anticipated clear distinction between housing in post-Ptolemaic provinces as well as in any other provinces of Roman Empire.
Keywords:
Houses, decoration, Hellenism, Roman Empire
Session associated with MERC:
no
Session associated with CIfA:
no
Session associated with SAfA:
no
Main organiser:
Monika Rekowska (Poland) 1
Co-organisers:
Prof. Patrizio Pensabene (Italy) 2
Dr Eleonora Gasparini (Italy) 2
Dr eng. arch. Aleksandra Brzozowska-Jawornicka (Poland) 3
Affiliations:
1. University of Warsaw, Institute of Archaeology
2. University la Sapienza, Rome
3. University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw
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