Empire and Imperialism - Romanization

Question 1

Where does the concept of Romanization come from?

Answer 1

Concept goes back to the 17th century
Theodore Mommsen (1817–1903); 1854–56: Römische Geschichte
Francis J. Haverfield (1860–1919); 1905: The Romanization of Roman Britain

Question 2

What is 19th cent. scholarship on Roman empire influenced by?

Answer 2

British/French contemporary imperialism and therefore saw the Roman expansion as a good thing - cultivating barbarians is a common imperial justification for conquest

Question 3

Give an example of evidence of Romanization in Britain

Answer 3

Baths at Vindolanda Fort (Hadrian’s Wall) indicate Romanisation when compared to more rural areas that lack such markers

Question 4

What does Strabo say on the Gauls?

Answer 4

Cf. Strabo, Geogr. 4.1.12: “[The Gauls] are not barbarians anymore but, for the most part, transformed into Romans, both in their speech and their way of life, some even in citizenship.”

Question 5

Why did natives ally with the Romans?

Answer 5

Roman citizenship is an acquired identity that overlaps with the native one - Cogidubnus gains both and benefits from his British kingship and the Roman alliance that comes with citizenship

Question 6

What are alternative terms for Romanization?

Answer 6

Hybridisation: creation of hybrid identities through conquest
Globalisation: seeing the Mediterranean as an interconnected, global world
‘Glocalisation’
Creolisation

Question 7

How and why did 20th century attitudes towards Romanization change?

Answer 7

Marcel Bénabou (1976) La résistance africaine à la romanisation, Paris
1956, Morocco gained independence from the French - Benabou was Moroccan; influenced the post-colonial take on the uncomfortable topic of Romanisation