Output details
31 - Classics
University of Oxford
Mythos und Historie im kaiserzeitlichen Smyrna: Kollektive Identitätsstiftung im Kontext der Romanisierung
On the basis of literary, epigraphic, numismatic and archaeological evidence, the article analyses the significance of local myths and history for civic identity-building in Smyrna. It argues that the Smyrneans revealed an extraordinarily strong interest in their local past in the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D. This trend must be seen in the context of 'Romanization' and the intense rivalries between the cities of Asia Minor. Besides her interest in the mythical and classical past, Smyrna commemorated more recent Rome-related events of the time of the late republic, which were particularly useful in the city’s diplomatic interaction with Rome.
