Romanization and the body : changing identities in the Later Iron Age and Early Roman period in the territory of the Trinovantes and Catuvellauni
In this thesis I examine and follow the change in identity of two neighbouring but rival Iron Age tribal groups, the anti-Roman Trinovantes of Essex and the pro-Roman Catuvellauni of Hertfordshire, as they underwent 'Romanization' and entered the early Roman period. I suggest that the change in tribal and personal identity was reflected in changing attitudes to the human body and, thus, personal appearance. I also examine whether the archaeological record backs up to the traditionally accepted political stance of these people. This stance is suggested by the tribal history, which was written on the basis of numismatic evidence coupled with the classical texts. I argue that what has previously been termed 'Romanization' can be better understood as a process whereby groups of people from different areas made different cultural choices from the same repertoire of material culture to structure their ethnic identities, whether tribal, local, or individual. Sometimes this choice of artefacts was deliberately in opposition to their neighbours and rivals. In cases where the choice of identity was deliberately native well into the Roman period, I have asked whether this was due to what I term 'covert but active' resistance,
Carr, G.
Romanization and the body : changing identities in the Later Iron Age and Early Roman period in the territory of the Trinovantes and Catuvellauni. In this thesis I examine and follow the change in identity of two neighbouring but rival Iron Age tribal groups, the anti-Roman Trinovantes of Essex and the pro-Roman Catuvellauni of Hertfordshire, as they underwent 'Romanization' and entered the early Roman period. I suggest that the change in tribal and personal identity was reflected in changing attitudes to the human body and, thus, personal appearance. I also examine whether the archaeological record backs up to the traditionally accepted political stance of these people. This stance is suggested by the tribal history, which was written on the basis of numismatic evidence coupled with the classical texts. I argue that what has previously been termed 'Romanization' can be better understood as a process whereby groups of people from different areas made different cultural choices from the same repertoire of material culture to structure their ethnic identities, whether tribal, local, or individual. Sometimes this choice of artefacts was deliberately in opposition to their neighbours and rivals. In cases where the choice of identity was deliberately native well into the Roman period, I have asked whether this was due to what I term 'covert but active' resistance,
romanization body changing identity period territory examine follow change identity neighbour rival iron_age tribal group anti roman essex pro roman hertfordshire underwent romanization enter early_roman period suggest change tribal personal_identity reflect_change attitude human_body thus personal_appearance also_examine whether archaeological_record back traditionally accepted political stance people stance suggest tribal history write basis numismatic_evidence couple classical_text argue previously term romanization well_understood process_whereby group_people different area make_different cultural choice repertoire material_culture structure ethnic_identity whether tribal local individual sometimes choice artefact deliberately opposition neighbour rival case choice identity deliberately native well roman_period ask_whether due term covert active resistance