In the Footsteps of the Gods : the use of computational methods to explore the role of mobility in the religious landscape of 2nd century AD Ostia
This thesis assesses how temples contributed to the religious landscape of Ostia, Rome's ancient port, through the practice of processional rituals. A novel computational approach is developed for the study of ritual movement that combines space syntax, urban network analysis, and agent-based modelling to evaluate where processional routes may have travelled within Ostia's urban landscape. The modelling and visualisation of hypothetical processional routes, associated with specific temples, provides a heuristic approach for looking at how temples structured individual rituals and their wider cultic impact upon the surrounding cityscape. The quantity of evidence relating to Ostian religion presents an ideal opportunity to consider how religious and ritual practices extended beyond temple precincts to impact the wider cityscape. Processional routes are explored within the 2nd century AD city as one way to study the role that temples played in structuring religious landscapes. While scholars acknowledge the regularity of processional activity, studies have traditionally focused upon major processions, such as the Roman triumph, rather than considering the wider occurrence of religious processions within urban
Crawford, Katherine Ann
In the Footsteps of the Gods : the use of computational methods to explore the role of mobility in the religious landscape of 2nd century AD Ostia. This thesis assesses how temples contributed to the religious landscape of Ostia, Rome's ancient port, through the practice of processional rituals. A novel computational approach is developed for the study of ritual movement that combines space syntax, urban network analysis, and agent-based modelling to evaluate where processional routes may have travelled within Ostia's urban landscape. The modelling and visualisation of hypothetical processional routes, associated with specific temples, provides a heuristic approach for looking at how temples structured individual rituals and their wider cultic impact upon the surrounding cityscape. The quantity of evidence relating to Ostian religion presents an ideal opportunity to consider how religious and ritual practices extended beyond temple precincts to impact the wider cityscape. Processional routes are explored within the 2nd century AD city as one way to study the role that temples played in structuring religious landscapes. While scholars acknowledge the regularity of processional activity, studies have traditionally focused upon major processions, such as the Roman triumph, rather than considering the wider occurrence of religious processions within urban
gods use computational method explore_role mobility religious landscape ass temple contribute religious landscape rome ancient port practice ritual novel computational develop study ritual movement combine space syntax urban network analysis agent_based modelling evaluate route may travel within urban_landscape model visualisation hypothetical route associate specific temple provide heuristic look temple structure individual ritual wider cultic impact_upon surround quantity evidence_relate religion present ideal opportunity consider religious_ritual practice extend_beyond temple precinct impact wide route explore within city one_way study role temple play structure religious landscape scholar acknowledge regularity activity study traditionally_focus upon major procession roman triumph rather consider wide occurrence religious procession within urban