AbstractsAnthropology

The Nature of Roman Britain - Group 7- 191007

by Szabina Zsoldos




Institution: Roskilde University
Department:
Year: 2016
Keywords: nature; history; Celts; Romans
Posted: 02/05/2017
Record ID: 2121657
Full text PDF: http://rudar.ruc.dk/handle/1800/26826


Abstract

This paper is concerned with nature’s role in Celtic British and ancient Roman culture, and the role of nature in the Roman occupation of Britain, when the culture of these two peoples would collide. The project begins by providing an introduction to certain relevant aspects of these two cultures. It then turns to examine more closely, some specific historical events from Rome’s colonisation of Britain through literary sources. Finally, we analyse some artefacts, their design, purpose and agenda, bringing some semiotics and archaeology into the project. Throughout the work in its entirety, nature can be seen as our academic ‘filter’, with colonialism also being a strong theme. The purpose of this investigation is to find out how the two differing cultures understood and used nature, both prior to and following their interaction. To give our project added relevance to the contemporary reader, we relate our findings to Western society today, in order to put issues into perspective and see how history has shaped the urbanised world around us and its mentality. The fundamental argument of this paper is that the Western European conceptualisation and treatment of nature is largely derived from the ancient historical era and the peoples in question. Advisors/Committee Members: Elias, Camelia (advisor).