Description
Book SynopsisCarving a Professional Identity: The occupational epigraphy of the Roman Latin West presents the results of long-term research into the occupational epigraphy from the Latin-language provinces of the Roman Empire. It catalogues stone epigraphs of independent professionals (thus excluding state workers, imperial slaves, freedmen and military personnel), comprising some 690 people, providing quantitative as well as qualitative analyses of the raw data. A glossary translating the occupational titles is also included. The book reveals a very lively work market, where specialisation responded to demand and brought social and economic status to the worker. The coherence of epigraphic habits and manifestations within a professional group, along with all the other existing clues for a rather unitary use of symbols, endorse once more the existence of a Roman provincial, commercial, middle class.
Trade Review‘As the author says, the data in this book is meant to constitute «an instrument for further research» (1), «a solid starting point for future examinations of the Roman provincial professions and professionals» (3). This the volume certainly does provide, and for this thanks are offered to Rada Varga and, behind her, the entire R1by1 team.’ – Elizabeth A. Meyer (2023): GNOMON 95, nr. 7
'...through its quality it deserves our full-attention and can be considered as a work of reference for future researches in the field.' – Annamária- Izabella Pázsint (2021): Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology No. 8.1
Table of ContentsI. Introductory notes ;
II. Historiographic coordinates for Roman-era occupational epigraphy ;
Professions, occupations and Roman economy ;
Ancient middle classes ;
Historiographic outline ;
III. Quantitative analyses on the primary data ;
Demography and representativeness ;
Encoding the attested occupations ;
Space and time ;
People and monuments ;
IV. People and professional identities ;
Tales of trade and friendship ;
Doctors – the healing science ;
Crafting for a living ;
Entertaining the masses ;
Case study: local identities ;
V. Concluding remarks ;
Index ;
Glossary ;
Catalogue ;
References ;
Abbreviations used in the catalogue
