Saskia Stevens
I am assistant professor in Ancient History and Classical Civilisation at Utrecht University. My principle research focuses on the significance of boundaries, borderscapes and the use of space in the Roman World, in particular, how they stipulated human behaviour and daily life. For my doctoral research (DPhil Oxon 2010) I explored the impact of urban development on city boundaries in Roman Italy (4th century BC-AD 271). By exploring the dynamics and interaction between urban development processes, city limits and the law, new insights were gained in Roman attitudes towards the symbolic meanings of civic boundaries. This research has been been published in 2017 as a monograph (Peeters Editors).
Other research interests include Roman domestic architecture, urban living conditions and Roman urbanism.
Other research interests include Roman domestic architecture, urban living conditions and Roman urbanism.
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By analysing the preserved internal staircases of the core apartments, the height of the buildings could be reconstructed; they appeared to correspond to the contemporary building regulations.
The consensus is that Roman apartments generally lacked water related facilities. An in-depth study of the Garden Houses on site, however, has revealed that the central apartments had a water drainage system and a direct connection to the urban water net.
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When one thinks of city walls, their defensive function usually comes to mind first. In the Roman World there was, however, more to a city wall than just its defensive aspect. Rutilius Namatianus’ description of Luni’s Roman city walls, as cited above, reveals, for example, that city walls could also have a decorative touch to them: Luni’s walls seems to have been made of shiny white marble. The unprecedented activity in city wall building during the Augustan age – a relatively peaceful period – also seems to suggest a symbolic significance of city walls. In addition, city walls were also used as an important reference point in legal matters. By exploring the ancient literary sources, the epigraphic and archaeological evidence, this paper examines the symbolic function of city walls and their role in the organization of the social, legal and religious landscape of a Roman city.
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Matthew J. Mandich: [email protected]
Saskia Stevens: [email protected]
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By analysing the preserved internal staircases of the core apartments, the height of the buildings could be reconstructed; they appeared to correspond to the contemporary building regulations.
The consensus is that Roman apartments generally lacked water related facilities. An in-depth study of the Garden Houses on site, however, has revealed that the central apartments had a water drainage system and a direct connection to the urban water net.
When one thinks of city walls, their defensive function usually comes to mind first. In the Roman World there was, however, more to a city wall than just its defensive aspect. Rutilius Namatianus’ description of Luni’s Roman city walls, as cited above, reveals, for example, that city walls could also have a decorative touch to them: Luni’s walls seems to have been made of shiny white marble. The unprecedented activity in city wall building during the Augustan age – a relatively peaceful period – also seems to suggest a symbolic significance of city walls. In addition, city walls were also used as an important reference point in legal matters. By exploring the ancient literary sources, the epigraphic and archaeological evidence, this paper examines the symbolic function of city walls and their role in the organization of the social, legal and religious landscape of a Roman city.
"
Matthew J. Mandich: [email protected]
Saskia Stevens: [email protected]