Author

Kevin Cigala

Date of Award

2017

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

McCarthy, Thomas

Area of Concentration

History

Abstract

Of vital importance to the culture and history of the Roman Republic are the terms mos and mos maiorum. In order to effectively reconstruct the unique political structures and culture that existed in Republican Rome, an attempt must be made to understand the practical nuances to Republican culture and use what can be lifted from that interpretation to better understand its history. This thesis proposes to use mos and mos maiorum as cultural lens with which the hidden histories and veiled intentions of the Republic are revealed. Chapter 1 is concerned with the most visible section of Roman society, aristocratic political history and how it is possible to reinterpret the history of the Gracchi Conflict of 133 B.C. Chapter 2 looks at how mos and mos maiorum can potentially be applied to Roman women. The final chapter discusses the interrelationship between mos, mos maiorum, collective memory and aristocratic power, and how they were incorporated into the Roman visual culture to perpetuate aristocratic power and presence in Roman landscapes.

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