Brenk, B. “Spolia from Constantine to Charlemagne: Aesthetics versus Ideology.” Dumbarton Oaks Papers 41(1987): 103-109.
This source serves as a map of scholarship on spolia. Brenk first dedicates a portion of his paper to critiquing and analyzing the work of previous scholars, in order to clear a path for his own thesis. Brenk argues that Emperor Constantine utilized spolia in his building projects as a way to demonstrate his power. Brenk’s thesis demonstrates the various messages that spolia may send, a foundational aspect of my senior capstone.
Bruun, Crister and Jonathan Edmondson. The Oxford Handbook of Roman Epigraphy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.
The Oxford Handbook of Roman Epigraphy is full of essays from leading scholars on every aspect of the field of epigraphy (inscriptions). Therefore, it is an integral source in my work with inscriptions. From the proper format to use when documenting a new inscription, to methodological approaches, this book provides the necessary background for a significant portion of my research.
Carrier, R. “The Prospect of Christian Interpolation in Tacitus. Annals 15.44.” Vigiliae Christianae 68, No. 3 (2014): 264-283.
Carrier’s article, while primarily about Christian interpolation in a key passage of Tacitus, actually contextualizes Christianity in the Roman Empire quite well. A main facet of Carrier’s argument for Christian interpolation in Tacitus is the status of Christianity in Rome during the time of the Julio-Claudians. Carrier brilliantly demonstrates that Christianity was largely unknown in Rome until a later date, a fact which is necessary to the idea of Christian invention of tradition.
Cooley, Alison E. The Cambridge Manual of Latin Epigraphy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012.
Similar to the Oxford Handbook of Roman Epigraphy, Cooley’s work provides further grounding in the field of epigraphy. The Cambridge Manual really is more like a manual, it provides similar information for finding and reading inscriptions. As epigraphic databases may be difficult to work with, Cooley has a whole section on those, as well as how to read and understand a CIL (Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum– the primary record of Latin inscriptions) entry. Cooley also provides information on the epigraphic habit in Rome, and its place in society.
Fredriksen, Paula. When Christians Were Jews. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2018.
In this book, Fredriksen discusses the historical context for Early Christianity, and places it within its Jewish context. This contextualization is necessary for the study of Early Christianity, especially when evaluating its ties to different traditions. The society in which it grew truly did impact Early Christianity, as Fredriksen demonstrates. Fredriksen brings a fresh perspective on Christianity during this period, and is an essential scholarly voice in this conversation.
Hansen, M. The Spolia Churches of Rome: Recycling Antiquity in the Middle Ages. Translated B. Haveland. Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, 2015.
This book was designed to be a guidebook for a tourist walking through Rome. As such, it includes pictures and information on specific pieces of spolia which are difficult to find recorded in other sources. Hansen’s work therefore is a main source for the pieces of spolia discussed in this work, and integral to providing evidence to the study of spolia in general.
Hobsbawm, E. “Mass Producing Traditions: Europe, 1870-1914.” In E. Hobsbawm and T. Ranger (eds.) The Invention of Tradition, 263-309, 1983.
In this chapter, and the book as a whole, Hobsbawm presents his groundbreaking theory of invented tradition. While Hobsbawm’s work does not directly relate to the Ancient Mediterranean, his theoretical model certainly does. In fact, Hobsbawm’s concept is the entire foundation of my senior capstone, making this source one of the most influential upon my work.
Kennedy, George A. The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism. Vol 1, Classical Criticism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.
The Cambridge History of Literary Criticism was especially helpful with the literary analysis section of my historical research. A whole section is dedicated to criticism of Christian sources. Moreover, the practice of literary criticism is a primary part of my project, and the proper tools for interpreting Classical texts ensures a well rounded argument.
Rhodes, Kevin. A Consequence of Legitimacy: Domitian’s Conflict with the Senate, and the Imperial Cult’s Conflict with Christianity. Cleburne: Hopkins University Press. 2014.
Rhodes provides necessary historical context for Christian invention of tradition in this book, through a close evaluation of the Emperor Domitian and his imperial cult. The later section of this book delves into the consequences of Domitian’s struggle with legitimacy, specifically in his implementation of an Imperial Cult in the Asian provinces. Christian refusal to acknowledge and venerate the Imperial cult caused issues for Christianity during this time period. At first, Christians were viewed as a sect of Judaism and therefore received the leniency afforded to this ancient tradition. However, as Christianity diverged from Judaism, it found itself facing more issues. These issues eventually became factors in the Christian desire to create a tradition.
Shaw, B. “The Myth of Neronian Persecution.” JRS 105 (2015): 73-100.
Shaw’s article was the piece of scholarship that piqued my interest in Early Christianity in Rome, which led to my research projects on persecution and, subsequently, invented tradition. Shaw analyzes the historical sources for persecution, and demonstrates how little contemporary evidence there truly was for a Neronian persecution of Christians. Shaw calls historians to examine the burden of proof, and to not just believe a historical event because it has been so deeply ingrained in our cultural psyche. Shaw’s article provides a methodological framework for critically reading historical sources, and demonstrates the necessity for historians to evaluate the biases of ancient authors.
Sherk, Robert K. The Roman Empire: Augustus to Hadrian. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988.
Sherk’s sourcebook records many of the inscriptions from the Roman Empire. As such, it is useful both as a resource to find inscriptions, and a model for documenting inscriptions. Sherk’s grouping of inscriptions also provides a useful way to read other, similar inscriptions from the area or period, which aids in contextualization of the inscriptions.