| Popis: |
Ostia’s origins development prior to the Imperial period are crucial to our understanding of early colonies and Rome’s relationship to the sea. This period of Ostia’s history is difficult to study due to its relative invisibility in the excavated landscape. This thesis presents a critical reexamination of the archaeological, historical and mythological evidence for the republican city. Section I explores the origins of Ostia’s foundations. Chapter 1 presents the mythological “history” of the pre-Imperial city through an analysis of the ancient literary sources. I argue that by locating its harbor’s foundations in the regal period Rome acquired a pedigree to rival other Mediterranean city-states. Late-republican Roman families coopted this mythical history through self-fashioning. Chapter 2 expands the discussion of Ostia’s foundations in light of archaeological and geomorphological evidence for its castrum walls, concluding that the city was fortified in the early 3rd century. Chapter 3 offers a new historical and socio-political framework for this foundation by considering coeval seaside fortifications and Rome’s conflict with Tarentum, which resulted in the Pyrrhic wars and paved the way for the first Punic war. Section II examines the late-republican city. Chapter 4 is a critical reassessment of 3 key inscriptions. I show that Gamala “senior” was probably not the builder of the Quattro Tempietti, that the Regio V Bona Dea temple had no republican phase, and I argue that Cicero’s involvement in the construction of the late-republican wall circuit is unlikely. Chapter 5 presents a new chronology for the Quattro Tempietti. Archival documents reveal that there was an earlier incarnation of the temples, possibly in mudbrick, with a terminus post quem of 107 BCE. In the final chapter I consider this chronology in light of other late Republican and early Imperial structures within the ager publicus. |
