Romanization and Acculturation: Roman Topography (2)

BiI '26

Romanization

The process by which Romans came to a place and brought their culture/rules (two-way street)

Roman initial interests for an area

Resources, travel/trade, settle soldiers

Roman cultural interests once in an area

Get to know local people/cultures, build things in their own honor/gods’ honor, start families, surpass other Romans

Bilingual people

People who can act both Roman and Gallic

Creolization

When two cultures combine to create a new, third thing (e.g. Gauls imitating Roman style w/o understanding)

Euergetism

Local leaders building in the Roman style and gaining favor from Romans, in the hopes that Romans would reciprocate via status and wealth

Monument of the Iulii

Built by Gauls in outskirts of Glanum; rocketship part looks like a death monument to Romans but not intended as one

Mausoleum of Halicarnassus

Built as a tomb for Mausolus in a square style; Monument of the Iulii resembles it

Liminal spaces

Boundary areas between cities or countries

Trophy at La Turbie

7 BC; celebrated a victory of Augustus and the Romans over the Gauls; commemorated the subjugation of the Gauls; marked border between old Roman Italy and Gaul

Iconography

Building styles designed to communicate a message

tumulus

Etruscan burial mound

Banditaccia

Etruscan city featuring many tumulus (burial mounds)

Mausoleum of Augustus

Tomb built for Augustus intentionally blending cultures: round like Etruscan tumulus, but also imitating Halicarnassus

Spolia

Spoils of victory; such as that used to construct some arches in Rome

Triumphal route

The procession of subjugated captives from a conquest, marching through the city of Rome often under arches; symbolizing carrying the yoke of Roman control

Messages of arches

Power, wealth, sophistication