A340 Block 1 Unit 2: Locating the empire Flashcards
Unit 2, Locating the empire
2.1 Where in the world is it and what was is zenith?
At its largest extent in 117 CE under Hadrian
Mediterranean - Mare Internum - the internal sea Mare Nostrum - our sea
East and West, the east - ‘the Greek east’
2.2 From here to there or from there to here: Roman Geographies
Provinces and the world outside the empire
Pliny et al - knowledge of the world outside the empire fragmentary based on noteworthy/spurious earlier journeys, library research, hearsay, military campaigns - unreliable
Provinces
Gallia = G…Belgica, Lugdunensis, Aquitania, Narbonensis - the Celtic culture of modern France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland
Hispania = H…Tarraconensis, Lusitania, Baetica = modern Spain
Germanic = G…Inferior and Superior = modern Germany
BUT boundaries could and did change
2.3.3 Pushing the boundaries
Provincial divisions
Advantages - provinces - creates manageable chunks used by Rome, encourages scholars use of local evidence in local context, easier also to compare and contrast
Disadvantages - provinces - focusing on one province creates a narrow/insular viewpoint, it’s a ‘Rome centred’ view only, ignores the ‘big picture’, conclusions about the whole empire cannot be based in just one or two provinces, but a temptation to try
2.4 Finding the Roman Empire I
PROMPT - how to analyse a source?
Analyse data on places using PROMPT
P - Presentation - how good/bad the layout
R - Relevance - is it? Description, Images, Links to other data
O - Objectivity - is it? Single or multiple contributors?
M - Method - research methodology used?
P - Provenance - expert? Original or copied evidence, where does the evidence come from, primary/secondary source.
T - Timelines - evidence created or updated when? When changed, is it up-to-date?
2.4 Finding the local Roman world
Viroconium, Britannia province II
Types of settlements
Canabae - civil settlement close to legionary base - administered by a legionary legate
Vicus - village (pagus) places with reasonably independent administrative institutions
Villa - a structure for farming, recreation or pleasure
Civitas - capital, the body of citizens who constitute a state, city state, citizenship, citizenry, council, magistrates Roman - lowest grade of autonomous member community of the cellular provincial empire
2.7 Hadrian’s Wall: where history meets myth
Evidence for it includes textual - Scriptores Augustae (SHA), the Vindolanda writing tablets. Epigraphic - an inscription on a statue, building or tombstone and of course, the wall itself
Built under the orders of Hadrian (117-138) erected circa 122-126 CE by the governor Platorius Nepos, repaired and strengthened-brought back into full use in the 160’s after the abandonment after of the Antonine Wall
Construct - Militarised zone at front, ditch and stakes (berm - the strip of land between the northern face and the V shaped ditch) immediately in front of wall, the wall stone/earth with watchtowers 1/3 Roman mile, forts and milecastles 1 Roman mile, and the ‘Vallum’ ditch to the rear, wall width 3m then reduced later to 2.5m
A defence, control point, customs area? Opinion is of course divided
In summary - a ‘huge symbol of power’, a ‘deterrent to native aggression’ a device for ‘customs control and frontier supervision’ BUT BRITONS on both sides were initially considered potential enemies (Vallum) requiring intimidation and supervision.
2.7.4 The Vindolanda Letters
Happy Birthday!
Letter written to Sulpicia Lepidina, wife of Flavius Cerialis, the fort’s commanding officer during the late 1st century CE, from Claudia Severa, wife of Aelius Brocchus, commanding officer of another regional fort (sisters) written by a slave but final salutation written in her own hand
A birthday invitation
3.11 The Wall’s horizontal construct front to back
Mile castle (1/3 mile) - turret - (1/3 mile) - turret - (1/3 mile) - Mile Castle (substituted by a fort later) = 1 Roman mile
FRONT v-ditch - sharpened posts - wall proper - military way - rear north mound - VALLUM - Marginal mound (Intermittent with gaps to forts/mile castles) - south mound
