ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE

How much can archaeological evidence tell us about the lives of the inhabitants of the roman province of Africa?

How much can archaeological evidence tell us about the lives of the inhabitants of the roman province of Africa?

Roman art seems to be tucked around every corner in this ancient city that has meant so much to the development of civil society in the modern world. Ancient Roman art served manifold purposes and came in a variety of different mediums. Whereas the ancient Greek art that the Romans borrowed from so heavily was oftentimes most celebrated for its aesthetic qualities and the talents of its artist, Roman art served a much more utilitarian purpose in the context of the ancient world. Whereas it is quite likely that the best works of Greece might have been celebrated and exhibited in a public place, the finest Roman art would have been used to emphasize the power and standing of an individual or a family in the context of the greater society, most likely in someone's personal residence in Rome.

Rome built itself up by assimilating various peoples from all over the globe into the Empire and its population was reflective of the first multicultural system governing a multitude of ethnicities. For this reason and more, Roman art cannot be said to have as unified a strain running throughout it, as does Greek art. The tendency of ancient Roman art to copy the Greeks is sufficient evidence to show us in what high regard the Romans held the Greek artistic ability. We see a wide variety of mediums being produced by the ancient Romans throughout the 900 plus reign of the Empire of Rome. Roman mosaics, architecture, paintings, metal work, engravings, and portraiture were all vital mediums in the development of Roman art over the centuries.

The adoption of Christianity in Ethiopia dates to the fourth-century reign of the Aksumite emperor Ezana. Aksum's geographic location, at the southernmost edge of the Hellenized Near East, was critical to its conversion and development. The kingdom was located along major international trade routes through the Red Sea between India and the Roman empire. The story of Ezana's conversion has been reconstructed from several existing documents, the ecclesiastical histories of Rufinus and Socrates Scholasticus. Both recount how Frumentius, a youth from Tyre, was shipwrecked and sent to the court of Aksum. Frumentius sought out Christian Roman merchants, was converted, and later became the first bishop of Aksum. At the very least, this story suggests that Christianity was brought to Aksum via merchants. Ezana's decision to adopt Christianity was most likely influenced by his desire to solidify his trading relationship with the Roman empire. Christianity afforded the possibility of unifying the many diverse ethnic and linguistic peoples of the Aksumite kingdom, a goal of Ezana's leadership. Aksum was one of the earliest states to develop a coin system in order to service its sophisticated and prosperous economy. Emperor Ezana was the first world leader to put the cross on coins that are ...