Date of Award
2020
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
History
Committee Chair
Andrei Gandila
Committee Member
Stephen P. Waring
Committee Member
Nicole Pacino
Subject(s)
Roman provinces--Administration, Imperialism, Acculturation--Rome, Rome--Ethnic relations, Rome--Foreign relations--510-30 BC, Rome--History--Empire 510-30 BC
Abstract
The concept of Romanization, or Rome’s process of making its newly conquered provinces more like Rome, has fallen out of favor in recent decades and has been replaced by a succession of postcolonial frameworks that progressively decenter Rome from the transformation process. I argue, against this new orthodoxy, that Rome was actively responsible for imposing profound social changes on its provincial populations that resulted in a shift toward Roman culture in the interest of Roman imperialism. This affected every segment of every conquered population, though the details of individual experiences varied widely, as can be seen in analysis along geographical, social status and gender lines. This thesis assesses these changes in provincial societies by analyzing culture pre- and post-Rome, exemplified by primary case studies of Spain and Britain and smaller studies of Africa Proconsularis, Dacia, and Pontus-Bithynia, asserting the validity of Romanization as a framework.
Recommended Citation
Davis, Mary Lauryn, "Reclaiming the R-word : Romanization as a framework for culture change in the Roman provinces" (2020). Theses. 330.
https://louis.uah.edu/uah-theses/330
