Frater, soror, contubernalis : greedy institutions and identity relationships in the auxiliary military communities of the northern frontier of Roman Britain in the first and second centuries A.D
This thesis is a reassessment of the concept of the âfort communityâ and analysis of the people who dwelled within it, utilising archaeological evidence from the northern frontier of Roman Britain. Traditional approaches which have focused on military functions or on military-civilian dichotomies cannot provide a full account of discrepant identities (Mattingly 2011). A holistic approach which acknowledges and incorporates non-military activities can provide an important alternative perspective into how the inhabitants of Roman fort communities related to one another. The thesis utilises Lewis Coserâs concept of the âgreedy institutionâ (1974) to resituate the imbalance of power affecting identity within the Roman military. The discussion is framed within nested layers of identity and community. In the first chapter, a historical overview of Roman military scholarship is presented that contextualises the current archaeological climate and illustrates key issues of bias. Three core forms of identity are analysed in the second chapter in the context of the Roman auxilia; socio-cultural, gender, and ethnicity. This discussion positions the auxiliaries as a group both empowered and subjugated, consisting
Matthew, Robert
Roman Britain ; Greedy Institution ; Total Institution ; Roman Archaeology ; Hadrian's Wall ; Theoretical Roman Archaeology ; Roman military ; Roman auxilia ; Roman auxiliaries ; Roman forts ; Identity ; Gender archaeology ; Discrepant Identities ; Vindolanda tablets ; Martial Races ; Ethnic Soldiers ; Vindolanda ; Housesteads ; Birdoswald ; Ribchester ; Arbeia
Frater, soror, contubernalis : greedy institutions and identity relationships in the auxiliary military communities of the northern frontier of Roman Britain in the first and second centuries A.D. This thesis is a reassessment of the concept of the âfort communityâ and analysis of the people who dwelled within it, utilising archaeological evidence from the northern frontier of Roman Britain. Traditional approaches which have focused on military functions or on military-civilian dichotomies cannot provide a full account of discrepant identities (Mattingly 2011). A holistic approach which acknowledges and incorporates non-military activities can provide an important alternative perspective into how the inhabitants of Roman fort communities related to one another. The thesis utilises Lewis Coserâs concept of the âgreedy institutionâ (1974) to resituate the imbalance of power affecting identity within the Roman military. The discussion is framed within nested layers of identity and community. In the first chapter, a historical overview of Roman military scholarship is presented that contextualises the current archaeological climate and illustrates key issues of bias. Three core forms of identity are analysed in the second chapter in the context of the Roman auxilia; socio-cultural, gender, and ethnicity. This discussion positions the auxiliaries as a group both empowered and subjugated, consisting
institution identity relationship auxiliary military community_northern frontier roman_britain reassessment concept fort community analysis people dwell within utilise archaeological_evidence northern_frontier roman_britain traditional_approach focus military function military_civilian dichotomy provide_full account discrepant identity holistic acknowledges incorporate non military_activity provide_important alternative perspective inhabitant roman fort community relate one_another utilises lewis concept institution imbalance power affect identity_within roman_military discussion frame_within nested layer identity community first historical_overview roman_military scholarship present contextualises current archaeological climate illustrate key_issue bias three_core form identity analyse second context roman socio_cultural gender ethnicity discussion position auxiliary group empower subjugate consist