Neglected architectural decoration from the late antique Mediterranean city : public porticoes, small baths, shops/workshops, and 'middle class' houses
This thesis examines the neglected architectural decoration from the late antique Mediterranean city (ca. 300-650 A.D.). It aims to address the omission in scholarly literature of any discussion about the decoration of non-monumental secular buildings, namely porticoes flanking streets, agorai, macella and ornamental plazas, small public baths, shops/workshops and âmiddle classâ houses. The decoration of non-monumental secular buildings has been overlooked at the expense of more lofty buildings and remains thus far one of the least known aspects of the late antique city. Considering that public porticoes and their associated structures (shops and workshops), along with small public baths and âmiddle classâ houses were crucial elements and accounted for the large part of any urban built environment starting from the Hellenistic period, the examination of their architectural decoration in this thesis represents the first attempt to redress this imbalance. Drawing upon an array of archaeological evidence, written sources, and depictions this thesis attempts to reconstruct how public porticoes, small public baths, shops/workshops, and âmiddle classâ houses might have looked on a daily basis. The geographical
Kamani, Solinda
CB History of civilization ; CC Archaeology ; DE The Mediterranean Region. The Greco-Roman World
Neglected architectural decoration from the late antique Mediterranean city : public porticoes, small baths, shops/workshops, and 'middle class' houses. This thesis examines the neglected architectural decoration from the late antique Mediterranean city (ca. 300-650 A.D.). It aims to address the omission in scholarly literature of any discussion about the decoration of non-monumental secular buildings, namely porticoes flanking streets, agorai, macella and ornamental plazas, small public baths, shops/workshops and âmiddle classâ houses. The decoration of non-monumental secular buildings has been overlooked at the expense of more lofty buildings and remains thus far one of the least known aspects of the late antique city. Considering that public porticoes and their associated structures (shops and workshops), along with small public baths and âmiddle classâ houses were crucial elements and accounted for the large part of any urban built environment starting from the Hellenistic period, the examination of their architectural decoration in this thesis represents the first attempt to redress this imbalance. Drawing upon an array of archaeological evidence, written sources, and depictions this thesis attempts to reconstruct how public porticoes, small public baths, shops/workshops, and âmiddle classâ houses might have looked on a daily basis. The geographical
neglected architectural decoration late_antique mediterranean city public small bath workshops middle_class house examines neglect architectural decoration late_antique mediterranean city aim_address omission scholarly_literature discussion decoration non monumental secular building namely flank street ornamental small public bath workshops middle_class house decoration non monumental secular building overlook expense lofty building remain thus_far least_known aspect late_antique city considering public associate structure shop workshops along small public bath middle_class house crucial_element account large_part urban build_environment start hellenistic_period examination architectural decoration represent_first attempt redress_imbalance drawing_upon array archaeological_evidence write_source depiction attempt_reconstruct public small public bath workshops middle_class house might look daily_basis geographical