The Peristyle Courtyard of Elite Roman Houses
Presentation Type
Event
Full Name of Faculty Mentor
Aneilya Barnes
Major
History
Presentation Abstract
This paper argues that in the first-century peristyle courtyards transformed the Roman house, because their integration offered the most variations for elite household members in this strictly hierarchical society of clientship and social dependence. A significant number of scholars have examined activities conducted in the household and, more specifically, those performed in the peristyle courtyard, such as salutationes, theatrical performances, and other cultural spectacles. These activities enabled elites to show their political, economic, and social status. This research demonstrates how the Roman house and the spaces within it served as a platform for the blending of public and private from which elite aristocrats could promote their social superiority and displays of wealth and power over one another, while continuing to act as good Romans in the public eye.
Course
HFA 310
Location
Brittain Hall, Room 114
Start Date
16-4-2019 3:40 PM
End Date
16-4-2019 4:00 PM
Disciplines
History
Recommended Citation
Butler, Sean, "The Peristyle Courtyard of Elite Roman Houses" (2019). Undergraduate Research Competition. 6.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/ugrc/2019/oral/6
The Peristyle Courtyard of Elite Roman Houses
Brittain Hall, Room 114
This paper argues that in the first-century peristyle courtyards transformed the Roman house, because their integration offered the most variations for elite household members in this strictly hierarchical society of clientship and social dependence. A significant number of scholars have examined activities conducted in the household and, more specifically, those performed in the peristyle courtyard, such as salutationes, theatrical performances, and other cultural spectacles. These activities enabled elites to show their political, economic, and social status. This research demonstrates how the Roman house and the spaces within it served as a platform for the blending of public and private from which elite aristocrats could promote their social superiority and displays of wealth and power over one another, while continuing to act as good Romans in the public eye.