The Ancient Middle Classes: Urban Life and Aesthetics in the Roman Empire, 100 BCE-250 CE

313 Pages·2012·2.22 MB·English

by  Ernst Emanuel Mayer

the ancient middle classes

the ancient
middle classes
Urban Life and Aesthetics
in the Roman Empire,
100 bce– 250 ce
Emanuel Mayer
harvard university press
Cambridge, Massachusetts
London, En gland
2012
Copyright © 2012 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Mayer, Emanuel.
Th e ancient middle classes : urban life and aesthetics
in the Roman Empire, 100 bce– 250 ce / Emanuel Mayer.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978- 0- 674- 05033- 4 (alk. paper)
1. Middle class– Rome. 2. Middle class— Rome—Social life and customs.
3. Social classes— Rome. 4. Rome— Civilization. I. Title.
DG78.M42 2012
305.5'50937–dc23 2011051597
Contents
 Class, Stratifi cation, and Culture:
Th e Roman Middle Classes and Th eir Place in History 
 In Search of Ancient Middle Classes: An Archaeology
of Middle Classes in Urban Life, 100 b.c.e.– 250 c.e. 
 From Commercial to Middle Classes: Urban Life and
Economy in the Roman Empire 
 In Search of Middle- Class Culture: Commemorating
Working and Private Lives 
 Decor and Lifestyle: Th e Aesthetics of Standardization 
 Conclusions 
Notes 
Index 

Figures
Figure 1. Pompeii, Insula Arriana Polliana (VI 6) and adjacent insulae
(VI 3 and 4). Source: Mayer/Schweiss 
Figure 2. Pompeii, Casa di Sallustio (VI 2, 3– 5.30.31). Source: Mayer/
Schweiss 
Figure 3. Pompeii, Casa di Postumii (VIII 4, 2– 6.49.50). Source: Mayer/
Schweiss 
Figure 4. Magdalensberg, last phase of the settlement. Source:
Landesmuseum Kärnten 
Figure 5. Ostia, schola of the fabri tignarii. Source:
Mayer/Schweiss 
Figure 6. Pompeii, tomb of Naevola Tyche. Source: Mayer/
Schweiss 
Figure 7. Rome, funerary altar of the shoemaker C. Iulius Helius.
Source: Archäologisches Institut, Universität zu Köln 
Figure 8. Rome, funerary relief of the duumvir Q. Lollius Alcamenes.
Source: D-DAI- Rom EA4673 
viii list of figures
Figure 9. Rome, kline monument of Flavius Agricola. Source:
Indianapolis Museum of Art, Gift of Alan Hartman 
Figure 10. Rome, marble pediment from the tomb of Claudia Semne.
Source: Archäologisches Institut, Universität zu Köln 
Figure 11. Rome, relief from the tomb of the Haterii depicting its
construction. Source: Archäologisches Institut,
Universität zu Köln 
Figure 12. Rome, relief from the tomb of the Haterii depicting its garden.
Source: Archäologisches Institut, Universität zu Köln 
Figure 13. Rome, Tomba di Medusa, Medusa sarcophagus. Source:
Archäologisches Institut, Universität zu Köln 
Figure 14. Rome, Tomba di Medusa, Orestes sarcophagus. Source:
Archäologisches Institut, Universität zu Köln 
Figure 15. Rome, Tomba di Medusa, Niobid sarcophagus. Source:
Archäologisches Institut, Universität zu Köln 
Figure 16. Ostia, tomb of Verrius Euhelpistes. Source:
Mayer/Schweiss 
Figure 17. Frascati, Meleager sarcophagus. Source: Malter, Neg.
D-DAI- Rom 1967.2560 
Figure 18a. Meleager sarcophagus of Aurelius Vitalis. Source:
Archäologisches Institut, Universität zu Köln 
Figure 18b. Wilton House, Meleager sarcophagus. Source: Archäologisches
Institut, Universität zu Köln 
Figure 19. Rome, Achilles sarcophagus of Paeus Myron and his family.
Source: Singer, Neg. D-DAI- Rom 1972.0571 
Figure 20a. Cliveden, Th eseus sarcophagus of Artemidorus. Source:
Archäologisches Institut, Universität zu Köln 
Figure 20b. Cliveden, Th eseus sarcophagus of Artemidorus, detail. Source:
Archäologisches Institut, Universität zu Köln 
Figure 21. Pompeii, Casa dell’Ara Massima (VI 16, 15.17). Source:
Mayer/Schweiss 
Figure 22a. Pompeii, wall painting of Narcissus from the Casa dell’Ara
Massima. Source: P. Grunwald, DAI Berlin. 
list of figures ix
Figure 22b. Pompeii, wall painting of Narcissus from the House of
Octavius Quartio (II 2, 2). Source: Fuhrnann, Neg.
D-DAI- Rom 1938.0036 
Figure 23. Pompeii, House of Octavius Quartio (II 2, 2). Source:
Mayer/Schweiss 
Figure 24a. Pompeii, wall painting of Pyramis and Th isbe from the House
of Octavius Quartio (II 2, 2). Source: Fuhrnann, Neg.
D-DAI- Rom 1938.0035 
Figure 24b. Pompeii, wall painting of Pyramis and Th isbe from House of
Lucretius Fronto (V 4, a). Source: Bartl, Neg. D-DAI- Rom
1957.0871 
Figure 25a. Pompeii, wall painting of Perseus and Andromeda from the
Casa del Sacerdote Amando (I 7, 7). Source: Erich Lessing / Art
Resource, NY 
Figure 25b. Naples, wall painting of Perseus and Andromeda. Source:
Vanni / Art Resource, NY 