Landscapes and Cities: Rural Settlement and Civic Transformation in Early Imperial Italy

by John R. Patterson

Overview

The first two centuries AD are conventionally thought of as the "golden age" of the Roman Empire, yet Italy in this period has often been seen as being in a state of decline and even crisis. This book investigates the relationships between city and countryside in Italy in the early Empire, using evidence from literary texts and inscriptions, and the wealth of data derived from archaeological field surveys over recent years. Looking at individual towns and regions as well as at the broader picture, and stressing the diversity of situations across Italy, John R. Patterson examines how changing patterns of building and benefaction in the cities were related to developments in the country, and underlines the resourcefulness of the cities, both large and small, in seeking to maintain and develop their civic traditions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780198140887
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	12/07/2006
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	8.60(w) x 5.30(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

John R. Patterson is Senior Lecturer in Classics, University of Cambridge.

Table of Contents

Introduction1. The rural landscapes of imperial ItalyAppendix: Survey of surveys2. The transformation of the city in imperial Italy3. Social mobility and the cities of ItalyConclusion