Imperial and Royal Archaeologies of Late Antiquity - (Late Antique Archaeology) (Hardcover)

About the Book

This book explores the archaeology of imperial and royal courts in late antiquity, from Britain to Constantinople (palaces, mausolea, insignia, monuments), comparing Nubia, Axum, and Persia. Court elites, imperial homelands, and policies of specific emperors (religion, war) are also covered.

Book Synopsis

Imperial and Royal Archaeologies explores material evidence for the lifestyles and actions of emperors, empresses, kings, and queens, in the late antique world, A.D. 284-650. Coverage is firstly by region, from the Great Palace of Constantinople, through the 'Forum of Valens' of Antioch to the Tetrarchic capital of Thessalonica. It then turns to the royal courts of the West, notably of Britain and Spain. Those of Nubia, Axum, and Persia are also compared. The old capital of Rome furnishes studies of imperial insignia, triumphal monuments, and statues of ministers. Other aspects of imperial power are scrutinised: the policies of Diocletian, Constantine, or Julian, on temple construction, and Justinian or others, on military campaigns. Finally, Isauria is investigated as the imperial homeland of Zeno.
Contributors are Kerim Altug, Javier Arce, Manuel Castro Priego, Peter Crawford, Ken Dark, Pilar Diarte Blasco, Lucia Dominici, Maria Duggan, Hugh Elton, Hossein Habibi, Nikos Karydis, Luke Lavan, Paolo Liveriani, Dominic Moreau, Lauro Olmo, Ioan Opris, Hatice Pamir, Clementina Panella, Martin Papworth, Jacke Phillips, Constantinos Raptis, Catherine Saliou, Alexander Sarantis, Andy Seaman, Ignazio Tantillo, David Walsh, Nigel Westbrook, and Dobrochna Zielinska.

About the Author

Luke Lavan is a Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Kent. He is the series editor of Late Antique Archaeology, has directed excavation and survey at Ostia and Sagalassos. His Ph.D. (2001) considered Provincial Capitals of Late Antiquity. He is author of Public Space in the Late Antique City (2020).
Peter Crawford, Ph.D. (2011) has lectured at Queen's University, Belfast and University College London. He has written on various Late Roman/Byzantine emperors - Heraclius, Constantius II, Zeno, Justinian II and Leo III - and is currently working on a collection of essays on the Late Roman Republic and a biography of Titus Labienus.