This book combines the rich, but problematic, literary tradition for early Rome with the ever-growing archaeological record to present a new interpretation of early Roman warfare and how it related ...to the city's various social, political, religious, and economic institutions. Largely casting aside the anachronistic assumptions of late republican writers like Livy and Dionysius of Halicarnassus, it instead examines the general modes of behaviour evidenced in both the literature and the archaeology for the period and attempts to reconstruct, based on these characteristics, the basic form of Roman society and then to 're-map' that on to the extant tradition. It will be important for scholars and students studying many aspects of Roman history and warfare, but particularly the history of the regal and republican periods.
. This article reassesses the nature and importance of Rome’s early cavalrymen, the archaic equites, in the light of new models for understanding early Italian warfare. Although the equites have ...always been understood to have represented Rome’s social, political, and economic elite, militarily their role is thought to have been limited. On an ancient battlefield traditionally thought to have been dominated by massed heavy infantry, cavalry actions were typically considered little more than aristocratic display. But with the recent reinterpretations of the nature of ancient battle in Italy, and a resultant decline in the importance of massed infantry and a rise in clan-based raiding, Rome’s archaic cavalry is due for a reappraisal. This article suggests that, in this new context and contrary to the traditional models, Rome’s archaic equites may have been a vitally important and highly effective part of Rome’s early armed forces down through the fourth century BCE. Their elite status, already accepted in the social, political, and economic realms, may have also been reflected in the military sphere as well.
This volume addresses the fundamental importance of the army, warfare, and military service to the development of both the Roman Republic and wider Italic society in the second half of the first ...millennium BC. It brings together emerging and established scholars in the area of Roman military studies to engage with subjects such as the relationship between warfare and economic and demographic regimes; the interplay of war, aristocratic politics, and state formation; and the complex role the military played in the integration of Italy. The book demonstrates the centrality of war to Rome’s internal and external relationships during the Republic, as well as to the Romans’ sense of identity and history. It also illustrates the changing scholarly view of warfare as a social and cultural construct in antiquity, and how much work remains to be done in what is often thought of as a ""traditional"" area of research. Romans at War will be of interest to students and scholars of the Roman army and ancient warfare, and of Roman society more broadly.
Despite the importance of weapons and armour as part of material culture in the Mediterranean during the first millennium BCE, such objects have generally not been studied beyond stylistic analyses. ...Bronze was extensively used in the construction of these materials; however, its characterisation is complicated due to patination and the different manufacturing techniques used. We used portable XRF (pXRF) to non-destructively characterise bronze material in a way that mitigates the distorting effects of patina. Analysis was conducted on 23 pieces of pre-Roman Italian bronze armour. Assays were taken using two different techniques; ‘single point’ assays and ‘cluster’ assays. There is variability visible across assays both on and between items, grouped both geographically and chronologically. We highlight significant trends visible in the results over time and different object types and discuss the utility of pXRF on ancient bronze with recommendations for best practice.
The presentation of X-ray fluorescence data (XRF) assays is commonly restricted to tables or graphical representations. While the latter may sometimes be in a 3D format, they have yet to incorporate ...the actual objects they are from. The presentation of multiple XRF assays on a 3D model allows for more accessible presentation of data, particularly for composite objects, and aids in their interpretation. We present a method to display and interpolate assay data on 3D models using the PyVista Python package. This creates a texture of the object that displays the relative differences in elemental composition. A crested helmet from Tomb 1036 from the Casale del Fosso necropolis, Veii, Italy, is used to exemplify this method. The results of the analysis are presented and show variation in composition across the helmet, which also corresponds with macroscopic and decorrelation stretching analyses.
In numismatic collections, coins are typically documented and studied using 2D images of their obverse and reverse. While two photographs, under the correct lighting, provide adequate information for ...basic research, detailed numismatic study has generally required the physical handling of the items to capture the three-dimensional aspects of the coin. Recent advances in photogrammetry and digitisation provide new opportunities for numismatic research. Digitised, 3D models of ancient coins allow researchers and students to interact with these coins remotely, providing opportunities to study coins from collections that would otherwise be difficult to access. Ancient coins, however, can be challenging to digitise due to their small size, irregular shape, and reflectance. This study will explore and outline a methodology for creating 3D models of ancient coins that balances both expediency with quality. Three Roman Republican coins from the University of Auckland’s numismatic collection were digitised using photogrammetric methods to create 3D digital models for student use. Expedient capture relied primarily on the quality of the photogrammetry setup, as well as the use of macrophotography, to capture the detail of each coin effectively. While the digital models took longer to produce than traditional 2D images, it was possible to create high-quality digital 3D model coins in a relatively expedient manner. The balance between speed and increased data opens the door for a new era in numismatic cataloguing and qualitative research opportunities.
Background: Upper limb neuromuscular impairments can adversely impact function. This case report investigates the process and outcomes of occupational therapy (OT) for training in the use of the ...NuroSleeve, a novel research-grade exoskeletal powered orthosis, with a participant with chronic right hemiparesis following a stroke. Method: The participant engaged in 24 OT sessions using the NuroSleeve over 10 weeks. Therapeutic interventions included neuromuscular reeducation, device management, and engagement in occupationbased activities with training to use the NuroSleeve. The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), ABILHAND, Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity Short Form 7a (PROMIS UE SF), Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) were administered before and after the 24 sessions. Results: With the NuroSleeve, there were clinically important increases in COPM performance and satisfaction for 6/8 and 7/8 goals, respectively; ABILHAND showed a clinically important increase of 4.959 logits; and there was an 11-point increase on the ARAT, indicating a clinically important difference. T-score on the PROMIS UE SF was 33.7 (SD = 2) compared to 23 (SD = 2.8) without the device. MMT remain unchanged. Conclusion: The data suggest that the NuroSleeve was the primary source of increased function and that incorporating OT with the NuroSleeve has benefts. Keywords artifcial limbs, exoskeletons, rehabilitation, robotics
Public, and particularly museum-based, collections provide invaluable opportunities for analysis. The objects in these collections typically offer relatively complete examples which often become ...reference points for newly excavated material or analyses. However, aside from issues of provenance and occasionally authenticity, one of the biggest challenges with the analysis of objects in museum collections is, perhaps ironically, their public and collection-based context. Objects on display are often only directly analysed immediately following their initial discovery and are then increasingly restricted for direct analysis (e.g. placed behind glass, displayed in such a way that their removal is difficult, etc.). Although visible to millions, once in a collection the level of analysis possible is often limited and superficial. In this paper we discuss the analysis of three collections of ancient Italian armour now housed in collections, both public and private. We examine some of the ethical considerations when looking at such collections. We also discuss the issues faced when analysing and making digital models of objects, which are used to explore the nature and importance of military equipment in Italy during the first millennium BCE. In addition, we argue that, although famous, many of the pieces held in collections are currently being underutilized in studies of the ancient world. We suggest digitization, even when conducted quickly, can help to unlock more information from previously excavated and analysed items and we highlight the pros and cons of various techniques when working in museum-based contexts.
This volume addresses the fundamental importance of the army, warfare, and military service to the development of both the Roman Republic and wider Italic society in the second half of the first ...millennium BC. It brings together emerging and established scholars in the area of Roman military studies to engage with subjects such as the relationship between warfare and economic and demographic regimes; the interplay of war, aristocratic politics, and state formation; and the complex role the military played in the integration of Italy. The book demonstrates the centrality of war to Rome’s internal and external relationships during the Republic, as well as to the Romans’ sense of identity and history. It also illustrates the changing scholarly view of warfare as a social and cultural construct in antiquity, and how much work remains to be done in what is often thought of as a "traditional" area of research. Romans at War will be of interest to students and scholars of the Roman army and ancient warfare, and of Roman society more broadly.
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