The Oxford Handbook of Roman Epigraphy

Epigraphy, or the study of inscriptions, is critical for anyone seeking to understand the Roman world, whether they regard themselves as literary scholars, historians, archaeologists, anthropologists, religious scholars or work in a field that touches on the Roman world from c. 500 BCE to 500 CE and beyond. The Oxford Handbook of Roman Epigraphy is the fullest collection of scholarship on the study and history of Latin epigraphy produced to date. Rather that just a collection of inscriptions, however, this volume seeks to show why inscriptions matter and demonstrate to classicists and ancient historians how to work with the sources. To that end, the 35 chapters, written by senior and rising scholars in Roman history, classics, and epigraphy, cover everything from typograph to the importance of inscriptions for understanding many aspects of Roman culture, from Roman public life, to slavery, to the roles and lives of women, to the military, and to life in the provinces. Students and scholars alike will find the Handbook a crritical tool for expanding their knowledge of the Roman world.

Christer Bruun is Professor of Classics at the University of Toronto. Jonathan Edmondson is Professor of History at York University.

PrefaceList of ContributorsAbbreviationsMap 1. ItalyMap 2. The Roman Empire under M. Aurelius and Commodus
PART I Roman Epigraphy: Introduction and History of the Discipline 1. The Epigrapher at Work, Christer Bruun & Jonathan Edmondson 2. Epigraphic Research since its Inception: Epigraphic Manuscripts, Marco Buonocore 3. Forgeries and Fakes, Silvia Orlandi, Maria Letizia Caldelli, & Gian Luca Gregori4. The Major Corpora and Epigraphic Publications, Christer Bruun5. Epigraphy and Digital Resources, Thomas Elliott
PART II Inscriptions in the Roman World 6. Latin Epigraphy: The Main Types of Inscriptions, Francisco Beltrán Lloris7. Inscribing Roman Texts: officinae, layout, and carving techniques, Jonathan Edmondson8. The Epigraphic Habit in the Roman World, Francisco Beltrán Lloris
PART III The Value of Inscriptions for Reconstructing the Roman WorldInscriptions and Roman Public Life 9. The Roman Republic, Olli Salomies10. The Roman Emperor and the Imperial Family, Frédéric Hurlet 11. Senators and Equites: Prosopography, Christer Bruun12. Local Elites in Italy and the Western Provinces, Henrik Mouritsen13. Local Elites in the Greek East, Christof Schuler14. Government and Administration, Christer Bruun15. Laws, Lawmaking, and Legal Documents, Greg Rowe16. The Roman Army, Michael A. Speidel17. Roman History and Inscriptions: Political and Military Events, David Potter 18. Late Antiquity, Benet SalwayInscriptions and Religion in the Roman Empire 19. Religion in Rome and Italy, Mika Kajava 20. Religion in the Roman Provinces, James Rives21. The Rise of Christianity, Danilo MazzoleniInscriptions and Roman Social and Economic Life 22. The City of Rome, Christer Bruun23. Social Life in Town and Country, Garrett Fagan24. Urban Infrastructure and Euergetism outside the City of Rome, Marietta Horster25. Spectacle in Rome, Italy, and the Provinces, Michael Carter & Jonathan Edmondson26. Roman Family History, Jonathan Edmondson 27. Women in the Roman World, Maria Letizia Caldelli28. Slaves and Freed Slaves, Christer Bruun29. Death and Burial, Laura Chioffi30. Communications and Mobility in the Roman Empire, Anne Kolb31. Economic Life in the Roman Empire, Jonathan Edmondson Inscriptions and Roman Cultural Life 32. Local Languages in Italy and the West, James Clackson33. Linguistic Variation, Language Change, and Latin Inscriptions, Peter Kruschwitz34. Inscriptions and Literacy, John Bodel35. Carmina Latina Epigraphica, Manfred Schmidt
APPENDICES I Standard Epigraphic Conventions (Leiden Conventions)II Common Epigraphic AbbreviationsIII Roman OnomasticsIV Roman Kinship Terms V Roman Voting TribesVI NumbersVII Digital Resources for Roman EpigraphyART CREDITSINDICESIndex of sources General Index