Our conference explores how the Roman idea of liberty influenced, and was influenced by, the built environment of the Roman world. When Roman civic liberty was proclaimed, where was it done? Who would have listened? Who was barred? How do we acknowledge the role of labor, extracted from the unfree, in making these discourses possible? 

Our four panel discussions feature professors and graduate students from a number of different universities. The discussions will cover many different aspects of Roman antiquity, including politics, philosophy, architecture, art, gender, enslavement, and imperial domination.

Link to pre-read papers.

UCHV sponsorship of an event does not constitute institutional endorsement of the program, speakers, or views presented.

Speakers

• Clifford Ando, University of Chicago
• Valentina Arena, University College London
• Penelope Davies, University of Texas at Austin
• Christopher Erdman, Washington University in St. Louis
• Ashton Fancy, Princeton University
• Gary Farney, Rutgers University
• Rob Goodman, Toronto Metropolitan University
• Michael Hawley, University of North Carolina
• Charles Ro, University of Pennsylvania
• Mantha Zarmakoupi, University of Pennsylvania

Schedule

Saturday, Nov. 2

12-5 p.m.

• 12-12:15 p.m. - Opening Remarks
• 12:15-1:45 p.m. - Panel 1: Institutionalizing Libertas
  • Rob Goodman: Authorizing Tropes and the Structure of Style
  • Michael Hawley: "Freedom Banish from Sight": Tacitus and Building Slavery on Rome's Periphery
  • Reece Edmends: Pollio, Caesar, and the Atrium Libertatis (with comments)
• 1:45-2:45 p.m. - Lunch
• 2:45-4:15 p.m. - Panel 2: Intentional Design 
  • Penelope Davies: Hostile Design in Ancient Rome
  • Ashton Fancy: The Claudia Peloris Tomb Pleloris Tomb Plaque, Architectural Drawings, and Specialized Knowledge
  • Charles Ro: Nam valet in omnes dies: Civic Origin and Function of the Temple of Fortuna Huiusce Diei (with comments)
• 6 p.m. - Dinner

Sunday, Nov. 3

9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

• 9:30-11 a.m. - Panel 3: Political Access/Denial
  • Valentina Arena: Contributio
  • Gary Farney: The Architecture of Control: Political Participation and Public Space in the Roman Republic
  • Christopher Erdman: How did Romans Vote? Reconsidering Space and Accessibility During Roman Lawmaking (with comments)
• 11 a.m.-12 p.m. - Lunch
• 12-1:30 - Panel 4: Inclusive / Exclusive Romanitas
  • Clifford Ando: Roman Cities and Republican Domination
  • Mantha Zarmakoupi: Religious Networks in the Fluid Political, Social, and Economic Landscape of late Hellenistic Delos
  • Sal Salamanca: Comments + Closing Remarks