Dependency and Social Inequality in Pre-Roman Italy

In the past, most studies on Pre-Roman societies in Italy (1^st millennium BCE) focused on the elites, their representation and cultural contacts. The aim of this volume is to look at dependent and marginalized social groups, which are less visible and often even difficult to define (slaves, servants, freedmen, captives, 'foreigners', athletes, women, children etc.). The methodological challenges connected to the study of such heterogeneous and scattered sources are addressed. Is the evidence representative enough for defining different forms of dependencies? Can we rely on written and pictorial sources or do they only reflect Greek and Roman views and iconographic conventions? Which social groups can't be traced in the literary and archaeological record? For the investigation of this topic, we combined historical and epigraphical studies (Greek and Roman literary sources, Etruscan inscriptions) with material culture studies (images, sanctuaries, necropoleis) including anthropological and bioarchaeological methods. These new insights open a new chapter in the study of dependency and social inequality in the societies of Pre-Roman Italy.

About the author

Martin Bentz and Patrick Zeidler, University of Bonn, Germany.

Summary

In the past, most studies on Pre-Roman societies in Italy (1^st millennium BCE) focused on the elites, their representation and cultural contacts. The aim of this volume is to look at dependent and marginalized social groups, which are less visible and often even difficult to define (slaves, servants, freedmen, captives, ‚foreigners‘, athletes, women, children etc.). The methodological challenges connected to the study of such heterogeneous and scattered sources are addressed. Is the evidence representative enough for defining different forms of dependencies? Can we rely on written and pictorial sources or do they only reflect Greek and Roman views and iconographic conventions? Which social groups can’t be traced in the literary and archaeological record? For the investigation of this topic, we combined historical and epigraphical studies (Greek and Roman literary sources, Etruscan inscriptions) with material culture studies (images, sanctuaries, necropoleis) including anthropological and bioarchaeological methods. These new insights open a new chapter in the study of dependency and social inequality in the societies of Pre-Roman Italy.

Product details

• Assisted by: Martin Bentz (Editor), Patrick Zeidler (Editor)
• Publisher: De Gruyter
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 21.10.2024
• EAN: 9783111344089
• ISBN: 978-3-11-134408-9
• No. of pages: 402
• Weight: 799 g
• Illustrations: 65 b/w and 44 col. ill., 18 b/w tbl.
• Series: Dependency and Slavery Studies
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History; Geschichte, Abhängigkeit, Etrusker, Italien, Sozial- und Kulturgeschichte, Archäologie einer Periode / Region, Ikonographie, History, Cultural Studies, European History, Sklaverei, Sklaverei und Abschaffung der Sklaverei, General & world history, HIS000000 HISTORY / General, Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700, SOC000000 SOCIAL SCIENCE / General, Etruria, Ancient history: to c 500 CE, Slavery, Dependency, HIS037030 HISTORY / Modern / General, HIS010000 HISTORY / Europe / General, SOC003000 SOCIAL SCIENCE / Archaeology, Italien: Periode der Antike (ca. 1000 bis ca. 500 v. Chr.), iconography, funerary achaeology