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Roman Imperialism and Latin Colonization in the Central Apennines: Networks of Interaction and Exchange

Baker, Catherine K

Abstract Details

2018, PhD, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Classics.
Between the fourth and second centuries BCE, Rome became the dominant power on the Italian mainland, establishing and maintaining control over newly conquered territories, in part, through the foundation of Latin colonies. These Latin colonies have traditionally been viewed as an essential part of the process of “Romanization” or integration of conquered territories into the Roman world. Through the study of four Latin colonies (Alba Fucens, Carseoli, Aesernia, and Beneventum) located in the Central Apennine region of Italy, this dissertation challenges the conventional view that these colonies served as important cultural or economic centers within their territories; rather, it demonstrates that colonies were neither intended to be, nor functioned as, a means of integrating conquered populations into Rome’s cultural or economic sphere. This thesis, therefore, sheds light on the character of Roman colonialism and Rome’s burgeoning imperialism in this period, and demonstrates that colonial processes were far from uniform; rather, colonization was an ad hoc, fluid process, informed by Roman ideas about urbanism, specific colonial needs, and interactions with local, non-Roman populations. This dissertation assesses Latin colonization through three distinct lenses: first, through an examination of the architecture, material culture, and historical behavior of these four colonies, I reconstruct the connections of these four colonies to their homeland, and demonstrate that formal ties with Rome, in terms of cults, colonial coins, or architecture, were limited, suggesting a degree of colonial independence. Second, based on an examination of colonial landscapes and individual spaces within the colonies, I argue that colonies did not serve as major focal points for interaction between colonists and local, non-Roman populations. Rather, specific locales within the colonies, such as workshops or sanctuaries, shaped colonial-local interactions in specific and limited ways, and did not facilitate long-term or significant ties between colonists and other populations. Finally, I trace connectivity between colonists and local, non-Roman populations through an examination of the movement of goods and individuals through the Apennine landscape. Coins, pottery, and other types of evidence demonstrate that Latin colonies rarely influenced existing local and regional networks in notable ways. Rather, colonies remained fairly limited in their interaction, reach, and impact in the Central Apennine region. These case studies offer a new model for considering the character and impact of Latin colonization through an examination of the connections and ties forged and emphasized by Latin colonists. They suggest that the character of early Roman colonization in Central Italy was highly variable, and subject to a complex negotiation between Roman concepts of urbanism, specific local topographies and conditions, and the character of local and regional populations and settlement hierarchies. In the Central Apennines, Latin colonization resulted in the formation of few ties between local populations and the Roman sphere. This lack of close connectivity with Rome in the Middle Republic influenced the subsequent development of the region and played a role in shaping its interactions with Rome in later periods.
Steven Ellis, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Eleni Hatzaki, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Kathleen Lynch, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
462 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Baker, C. K. (2018). Roman Imperialism and Latin Colonization in the Central Apennines: Networks of Interaction and Exchange [Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1552656991727309

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Baker, Catherine. Roman Imperialism and Latin Colonization in the Central Apennines: Networks of Interaction and Exchange. 2018. University of Cincinnati, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1552656991727309.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Baker, Catherine. "Roman Imperialism and Latin Colonization in the Central Apennines: Networks of Interaction and Exchange." Doctoral dissertation, University of Cincinnati, 2018. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1552656991727309

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)