Description
Book SynopsisCulture and Society at Lullingstone Roman Villa paints a picture of what life might have been like for the inhabitants of the villa in the late third and fourth centuries AD. The villa today, in the Darent Valley, Kent, has an unusual amount of well-preserved evidence for its interior decoration and architecture. Seventy years on from the commencement of the excavation of the site, this study draws on the original reports but also embraces innovative approaches to examining the archaeological evidence and sheds new light on our understanding of the villa’s use. For the first time, the site of Lullingstone Roman Villa is surveyed holistically, developing a plausible argument that the inhabitants used domestic space to assert their status and cultural identity.
An exploration of the landscape setting asks whether property location was as important a factor in the time of Roman Britain as it is today and probes the motives of the villa’s architects and their client. Lullingstone’s celebrated mosaics are also investigated from a fresh perspective. Why were these scenes chosen and what impact did they have on various visitors to the villa? Comparison with some contemporary Romano-British villas allows us to assess whether Lullingstone is what we would expect, or whether it is exceptional. Examples from the wider Roman world are also introduced to enquire how Lullingstone’s residents adopted Roman architecture and potentially the social customs which accompanied it.
Trade ReviewThis book offers a unique interpretation of the Lullingstone Roman Villa in the Darent Valley of Kent, exploring how its inhabitants used space to assert their position in society, as well as their cultural identity... Richly illustrated with photographs of mosaics and wall-paintings from the villa, as well as reconstruction drawings of how both the interior and exterior may have looked during the Roman period, it takes the reader on an in-depth, but not remote, tour of the villa. - Kathryn Krakowka (2019), Current Archaeology, Issue 356The author weaves into her text numerous references to other villas and compares them with Lullingstone. This feature and the broader discussion of the social setting makes the book much more than a guide-book. It is a ‘must’ for anyone planning to visit Lullingstone and has much to offer any reader with an interest in Roman Britain. - Rupert Jackson (2021), Classics for AllTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgements
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: The villa within its landscape setting and the role of topography in the owner’s self-representation
Landscape setting Ancillary buildings Circular shrine and temple-mausoleum Granary Comparable villas A further case study: Chedworth
Chapter Three: The choice and use of mosaics in the fourth century villa: how the patron presented his cultural identity and status through pavements
Grand designs The central room The seasons Bellerophon The apse Europa and the bull The inscription An incongruous combination? Classical literature in other Romano-British villas Chapter Four: Additional reconstructions of the villa
The villa within its landscape setting The villa’s interior space and decoration Summary of reconstructions Chapter Five: Conclusion
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