Post-Colonial Rome, and Beyond

Roman archaeology is one of the major subfields of archaeology in which post-colonial theory has flourished, and not just in relation to the role of the past in the present, but also as a means to approach the interpretation of the Roman world itself. The region of North Africa was a major focal point for some of the earliest post-colonial studies on the Roman Empire, and has remained an arena of investigation for scholars influenced by the Anglophone debate on post-colonial theory, which emerged in the 1980s and flourished in the 1990s, often with a focus on Roman Britain. Religion is both a key source of evidence and an obviously important theme in understanding cultural change, interaction and power, and thus it has likewise been of interest to scholars from within and beyond the region. Here, I give an overview of the work of some of the influential Roman archaeologists working within the post-colonial tradition. I also consider the complex intersections of ancient and modern, and of Britain and North Africa, found in this body of work, and evaluate the impact this tradition of thought continues to have on Roman archaeology going forwards.

Archaeology Lessons From Lockdown

The editorial of the fourth issue of the Theoretical Roman Archaeology Journal (TRAJ) focuses on what we have learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. The editors focus on the positive outcome of the pandemic, while emphasising aspects of the TRAC organisation that can be improved in the coming years. In this editorial we highlight TRAC’s strong tradition of introspection to bring awareness to how we as a community can continue to improve in terms of diversity and inclusivity.

Archaeology, Greco-Roman

Greco-Roman archaeology is an indispensable source of scholarship for biblical scholars. Those who work in a largely textual discipline benefit from conversation with archaeologists to situate literary data within its historical material contexts. Greco-Roman archaeology can also provide insight into the economic, social, political, and religious lives of persons in the ancient world, including marginalized persons whose lives are often obscured by elite literary material. Lastly, Greco-Roman archaeology and biblical studies have intertwined histories and entanglements with colonialism, and comparative work helps to uncover those legacies, especially where they are still operative in the present. While biblical scholars might long for evidence that directly connects to specific individuals in the earliest Christ communities (and thus to the texts of the New Testament), archaeological evidence most often provides evidence for context and not positivist truth claims. Biblical scholars looking, for example, for a particular building where Paul might have slept or where the first Christ communities may have met will be disappointed by the archaeological evidence. Though this evidence is rich and diverse and specific, it does not tell us about the particular individuals biblical scholars so often seek. In other words, the questions biblical scholars ask of Greco-Roman archaeology are often unanswerable. A better use of Greco-Roman archaeology is to guide biblical scholars in asking better questions and learning about the social, economic, and material context from which texts and communities emerge.

Rebalancing Roman Archaeology: from disciplinary inertia to decolonial and inclusive action

This article analyses the current state of our discipline, particularly its decoloniality and inclusivity. This is investigated via two lenses: data from Roman Archaeology Conferences and Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conferences from 1991 to 2019; and data from the 2019 Roman Archaeology Teaching Survey. These two lenses provide ways into thinking about whose voices are heard in the discipline, current barriers to more diverse voices, and biases within the topics and regions of the Roman world in our research and teaching. The article argues that these data demonstrate a need for change within our discipline, across research and teaching, in order to promote a healthier, decolonial and more inclusive discipline for the future. As a consequence, this article also makes numerous recommendations and suggestions for action to bring about positive change.

Erik Wetter and the genesis of the San Giovenale excavations

The Swedish excavations at San Giovenale (1956–1965) had a major impact in the field of pre-Roman archaeology in Italy, primarily through the discovery of remains of both Etruscan and earlier domestic architecture. This article examines the genesis of the project, and suggests that the early history of the project has sometimes been misrepresented. While the excavations came to serve as a training-ground for young Swedish archaeologists and made very important contributions to the study of ancient domestic architecture, these were not explicit goals at the conception of the project. The article also studies the peculiar role of Admiral Erik Wetter in the San Giovenale excavations. Despite not being an archaeologist himself, Wetter was both the instigator and, in many ways, the driving force behind the project. The result was an unusual and unclear leadership situation, something that in the long run created problems for the project.