Unveiling the funerary art of ancient Rome's lower classes
Presentation Type
Abstract
Faculty Advisor
Deborah Chatr Aryamontri
Access Type
Event
Start Date
25-4-2025 1:30 PM
End Date
25-4-2025 2:29 PM
Description
Funerary art in ancient Rome was a reflection of cultural values and religious beliefs, serving not only as a marker of wealth and status but also as a way to convey the identity of the deceased. While the elite commissioned elaborate mausolea, the lower classes also expressed social standing through their burial monuments, adapting available materials and styles to reflect their personal achievements and community status. This paper examines the funerary art of the lower classes and how it communicated social mobility and identity through an analysis of material culture, inscriptions, and literary sources. The Tomb of Eurysaces the Baker at Porta Maggiore exemplifies how a freedman could use funerary architecture to highlight his profession and rise in status. Similarly, the tombs of the Necropolis of Portus at Ostia reveal how merchants and artisans utilized reliefs and inscriptions to emphasize their roles in society. Along the Via Latina, tombs demonstrate a blend of traditional Roman iconography with more modest yet meaningful decorations, showing how lower-status individuals sought to align themselves with broader cultural ideals. Through the study of these monuments, their inscriptions, and contemporary literary references, this paper explores how the lower classes, despite limited means, used funerary art to assert their social standing, maintain cultural traditions, and leave a lasting mark on the urban landscape of Rome. This interdisciplinary approach provides insight into how non-elite Romans adapted artistic and epigraphic traditions to craft their posthumous identities.
Unveiling the funerary art of ancient Rome's lower classes
Funerary art in ancient Rome was a reflection of cultural values and religious beliefs, serving not only as a marker of wealth and status but also as a way to convey the identity of the deceased. While the elite commissioned elaborate mausolea, the lower classes also expressed social standing through their burial monuments, adapting available materials and styles to reflect their personal achievements and community status. This paper examines the funerary art of the lower classes and how it communicated social mobility and identity through an analysis of material culture, inscriptions, and literary sources. The Tomb of Eurysaces the Baker at Porta Maggiore exemplifies how a freedman could use funerary architecture to highlight his profession and rise in status. Similarly, the tombs of the Necropolis of Portus at Ostia reveal how merchants and artisans utilized reliefs and inscriptions to emphasize their roles in society. Along the Via Latina, tombs demonstrate a blend of traditional Roman iconography with more modest yet meaningful decorations, showing how lower-status individuals sought to align themselves with broader cultural ideals. Through the study of these monuments, their inscriptions, and contemporary literary references, this paper explores how the lower classes, despite limited means, used funerary art to assert their social standing, maintain cultural traditions, and leave a lasting mark on the urban landscape of Rome. This interdisciplinary approach provides insight into how non-elite Romans adapted artistic and epigraphic traditions to craft their posthumous identities.
Comments
Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.