An Empire of Marble?: the earliest trade and uses of marble
CALL FOR PAPERS AND POSTERS
European Association of Archaeologists
Session 969: An Empire of Marble?: the earliest trade and uses of
marble beyond Rome in the Late Republic and Early Empire
30TH EAA Annual Meeting (Rome, 28–31 August 2024)
The ushering in of Roman rule across the Mediterranean brought with it an appetite
for marble that far outstripped anything seen before. The demand for decorative
stones had its origins in the expansive phases of the Republic during the 2nd-1st
centuries BC, when Rome’s elites began to tap into the material resources of the newly
acquired eastern kingdoms. While Rome has been centre stage in the history of early
marble use, no doubt thanks to Book 36 of Pliny’s Naturalis Historia and the
importance of marble in elite display and public munificence in the city, recent case
studies (drawing on archaeological evidence) have provided a more nuanced picture.
This has included a significantly older chronology and a broader pattern of marble use
throughout Italy and beyond.
This session aims to provide an overview of current research on imported marbles and
site-specific case studies. It seeks to shift the focus away from Rome in order to
broaden our understanding of the earliest uses of marble during the Roman period.
We welcome papers examining late Republican and early Imperial marble imports
from different cities and regions, as well as those that take an in-depth look at trade
routes and networks, the actors involved in the procurement of these marbles, and the
uses to which they were put.
Potential topics include:
• Which imported lithotypes can be connected with early uses?
• What can early uses reveal about how marbles entered the Roman market and
their popularity in different regions?
• What types of objects (architectural, sculptural, etc.) made us of these early
marble imports and in what settings (public, private, funerary, etc.)?
• What were the economic implications of obtaining and using these marbles
outside Rome?
• How can we identify the actors responsible for marble imports?
Further information on this session and how to register can be found on the website of the
30th EAA Annual Meeting. Abstracts of 150-300 words with 3-6 keywords must be submitted
via the conference website, by no later than 8th February 2024, 23:59 CET. The contributions
of the session are planned to be published in a separate, peer-reviewed volume.
# 969: Session Organisers: Simon J. Barker (Ghent University) & Dennis M. Beck (University of Bonn).
European Association of Archaeologists
Session 969: An Empire of Marble?: the earliest trade and uses of
marble beyond Rome in the Late Republic and Early Empire
30TH EAA Annual Meeting (Rome, 28–31 August 2024)
The ushering in of Roman rule across the Mediterranean brought with it an appetite
for marble that far outstripped anything seen before. The demand for decorative
stones had its origins in the expansive phases of the Republic during the 2nd-1st
centuries BC, when Rome’s elites began to tap into the material resources of the newly
acquired eastern kingdoms. While Rome has been centre stage in the history of early
marble use, no doubt thanks to Book 36 of Pliny’s Naturalis Historia and the
importance of marble in elite display and public munificence in the city, recent case
studies (drawing on archaeological evidence) have provided a more nuanced picture.
This has included a significantly older chronology and a broader pattern of marble use
throughout Italy and beyond.
This session aims to provide an overview of current research on imported marbles and
site-specific case studies. It seeks to shift the focus away from Rome in order to
broaden our understanding of the earliest uses of marble during the Roman period.
We welcome papers examining late Republican and early Imperial marble imports
from different cities and regions, as well as those that take an in-depth look at trade
routes and networks, the actors involved in the procurement of these marbles, and the
uses to which they were put.
Potential topics include:
• Which imported lithotypes can be connected with early uses?
• What can early uses reveal about how marbles entered the Roman market and
their popularity in different regions?
• What types of objects (architectural, sculptural, etc.) made us of these early
marble imports and in what settings (public, private, funerary, etc.)?
• What were the economic implications of obtaining and using these marbles
outside Rome?
• How can we identify the actors responsible for marble imports?
Further information on this session and how to register can be found on the website of the
30th EAA Annual Meeting. Abstracts of 150-300 words with 3-6 keywords must be submitted
via the conference website, by no later than 8th February 2024, 23:59 CET. The contributions
of the session are planned to be published in a separate, peer-reviewed volume.
# 969: Session Organisers: Simon J. Barker (Ghent University) & Dennis M. Beck (University of Bonn).