Honorific statuary in the third century AD
The habit of honouring outstanding individuals with statues was common throughout the Roman Empire. Yet after the end of the Severan reign at the beginning of the third century AD, a decrease in honorific statues is generally assumed to have taken place. This thesis aims to evaluate this hypothesis, focusing specifically on the years AD 222-285. The thesis is assessing the contemporaneous imperial remains for the Roman Empire as a whole and the evidence from four exemplary cities that are particularly conspicuous in their statuary production and display, both before and after the time frame under investigation (Leptis Magna, Athens, Ephesus, Aphrodisias). The purpose is to explore the standards, conventions, and limitations of statuary practice in Roman society in a synthetic and comparative analysis and thereby to evaluate its political and social role during a state of internal and external instability, labelled 'the third century crisis'. By providing concrete figures, the practice of the third century can be juxtaposed with both the antecedent and subsequent centuries and this will facilitate a more coherent insight into the overall development and changes in Roman honorific statuary practice. The results
Spranger, Silja Karin Maria
Archeology ; Roman archeology ; History ; Visual art and representation ; Inscription ; Portrait ; Statue ; Athens ; Leptis ; Lepcis ; Aphrodisias ; Ephesos ; Ephesus ; Emperor ; Imperial ; Roman
Honorific statuary in the third century AD. The habit of honouring outstanding individuals with statues was common throughout the Roman Empire. Yet after the end of the Severan reign at the beginning of the third century AD, a decrease in honorific statues is generally assumed to have taken place. This thesis aims to evaluate this hypothesis, focusing specifically on the years AD 222-285. The thesis is assessing the contemporaneous imperial remains for the Roman Empire as a whole and the evidence from four exemplary cities that are particularly conspicuous in their statuary production and display, both before and after the time frame under investigation (Leptis Magna, Athens, Ephesus, Aphrodisias). The purpose is to explore the standards, conventions, and limitations of statuary practice in Roman society in a synthetic and comparative analysis and thereby to evaluate its political and social role during a state of internal and external instability, labelled 'the third century crisis'. By providing concrete figures, the practice of the third century can be juxtaposed with both the antecedent and subsequent centuries and this will facilitate a more coherent insight into the overall development and changes in Roman honorific statuary practice. The results
honorific statuary habit honour outstanding individual common throughout roman_empire yet end severan reign beginning decrease honorific statue generally_assume take_place aim_evaluate hypothesis focus_specifically assess contemporaneous imperial remains roman_empire whole evidence exemplary city particularly conspicuous statuary production display time_frame investigation athens ephesus purpose_explore standard convention limitation statuary practice roman_society synthetic comparative_analysis thereby evaluate political_social role_state internal_external instability label the crisis provide concrete figure practice juxtapose antecedent subsequent century facilitate coherent insight overall_development change roman honorific statuary practice