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PDF hosted at the Radboud Repository of the Radboud University Nijmegen The following full text is a publisher's version. For additional information about this publication click this link. http://hdl.handle.net/2066/124181 Please be advised that this information was generated on 2021-10-10 and may be subject to change. The City of Rome in Politics and Representations of Power during the Constantinian Dynasty (306-361) Sanne van Poppel Urbs et Augustus The City of Rome in Politics and Representations of Power during the Constantinian Dynasty (306-361) Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen op gezag van de rector magnificus prof. mr. S.C.J J. Kortmann, volgens besluit van het college van decanen in het openbaar te verdedigen op vrijdag 14 februari 2014 om 10.30 uur precies door Sanne van Poppel geboren op 15 november 1981 te Tilburg Promotoren Prof. dr. O.J. Hekster Prof. dr. S.L. de Blaauw Copromotor Dr. S.T.A.M. Mols Manuscriptcommissie Prof. dr. E.M. Moormann Prof. dr. P.A. Stephenson Dr. J.W. Drijvers (RUG) Sanne van Poppel, 2013 Printed by Ipskamp drukkers B.V. Image on cover: RIC VII 363 (Ticinum) 31. Solidus (reverse). RESTITUTOR1LIBERTATIS, Roma enthroned right, holding sceptre, handing globe to emperor standing left in military dress, holding short sceptre. Courtesy of wildwinds.com and Hans-Joachim Hoeft collection. ISBN: 978-94-6259-003-8 Urbs et Augustus The City of Rome in Politics and Representations of Power during the Constantinian Dynasty (306-361) Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen op gezag van de rector magnificus prof. mr. S.C.J J. Kortmann, volgens besluit van het college van decanen in het openbaar te verdedigen op vrijdag 14 februari 2014 om 10.30 uur precies door Sanne van Poppel geboren op 15 november 1981 te Tilburg Promotoren Prof. dr. O.J. Hekster Prof. dr. S.L. de Blaauw Copromotor Dr. S.T.A.M. Mols Manuscriptcommissie Prof. dr. E.M. Moormann Prof. dr. P.A. Stephenson Dr. J.W. Drijvers (RUG) Sanne van Poppel, 2013 Printed by Ipskamp drukkers B.V. Image on cover: RIC VII 363 (Ticinum) 31. Solidus (reverse). RESTITUTORJLIBERTATIS, Roma enthroned right, holding sceptre, handing globe to emperor standing left in military dress, holding short sceptre. Courtesy of wildwinds.com and Hans-Joachim Hoeft collection. ISBN: 978-94-6259-003-8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS She had always been fond of history, and here [in Rome] was history in the stones of the Street and the atoms of the sunshine. — Henry James, The Portrait o f a Lady Ever since my first visit to Rome I have had a passion for the Urbs aeterna, her history and her myths. By researching and reading (in) Rome these past years, the city has become part of my own history. Writing and finishing a PhD is a joumey, which, like the road to Rome, can go through many ways. My path proceeded in fits and starts as I saw ‘many bears on the road’. Reaching the final destination and looking back on the process, I can say that the project will be a milestone in my life and that it was a stop on the proper path. It is a marker of years of endurance, flexibility and pressure, lessons in life and inspiring encounters. During these years in academia, I have met wonderfiil people. These pages are dedicated to my guides, fellow-travellers, and old and new friends. Foremost, I must acknowledge the supervision of Olivier Hekster, Sible de Blaauw and Stephan Mols. I am blessed to have had three supervisors who have given me intellectual and moral support and whose expert guidance has steered me in the right direction. I want to thank Olivier for persuading me that this project would be a worthwhile undertaking. I cannot say I regret having embarked upon this path. I especially appreciate the times and ways in which you encouraged me not only to pursue this project to the end, but also to sometimes change the focus on other priorities in life. Your credo to keep a balance between private life and work will remain a valuable lesson. My thanks and appreciation go out to Sible for his critical eye, his calm and open demeanour and stimulating dialogue in person and on paper. Stephan’s careful reading of this manuscript and his efforts to keep my text ‘Poppelian’ and readable at the same time helped to energize its revision. His practical tips and his attachment to this project were important to its completion. During the years of being immersed in academia, I have been fortunate to have been in the good company of the History department at Radboud University Nijmegen. My colleagues in the section of Ancient History gave me advice, support and encouragement: Martijn leks, Erika Manders, Inge Mennen, Lien Foubert, Nathalie de Haan, Daniëlle Slootjes, Ylva Klaassen, Liesbeth Claes, Coen van Galen, Raphael Hunsucker, Paul Stephenson, Gerda de Kleijn, Luuk de Blois, Ellen Kraft and Pamela Doms. I want to thank Daniëlle, Inge and Lien in particular for their critical reading of parts of the manuscript. Ylva, becoming your roommate in 10.11 was not only the beginning of a shared experience, but also of a deep friendship. I find it heartening to have met someone with such intelligence, humour and hope. Ping, thank you for being there in the right ways and at the right points in time. The presence of other kindred spirits in the History department helped to make this process bearable and valuable beyond measure: thank you Saskia, Marieke, Anne, Joris, Wim, Lennert, Thijs, Maaike, Robin, Robert-Jan, Casper, Chris, Marloes, Margriet, Rachel and Sophie for breaths of fresh air in Park Brakkestein, relaxing yoga and tea sessions, drinks and pub quizzes in the Cultuurcafé, sportive initiatives and other memorable distractions. I must also thank colleagues from the Classics Department for their expert advice, cooperation and company: Roald Dijkstra, my co-organizer for the conference on Unity in the Fourth Century; Suzanne van de Liefvoort, Maarten de Pourq and Diederik Burgersdijk; Vincent Hunink for his appreciated help with the Latin passages; and Eric Moormann for his suggestions and corrections to the final draft. I am happy (or should I say gappy?) to have found a new group of nice colleagues at the Kulak in Kortrijk. Frederic, Annelies, Els, Mare, Dirk, Kathy and Hilde, thank you for making me feel at home in West Flanders and for celebrating the approval of this book with me and with home-made tiramisu. I am looking forward to leaming more of your typical words and customs and teaching you mine. A large share of my research was carried out abroad, first and foremost, of course, in the old and new Rome. In Rome, history is indeed in the stones of the Street and I have had the most wonderful times there. I want to thank the directors of the Royal Netherlands Institute in Rome, Marjan Schwegman, Bemard Stolte and Gert-Jan Burgers, for their hospitality and the other members of the staff for making the KNIR feel like my second home and my personal gateway to the Etemal City. Grazie Janet, Angelo, Sandra, Femando and Mohammed. I will cherish the memories and encounters in my heart. Jolanda, Hester, Saskia, Myrthe, Lide, Michelle, Floris, Bart, Dirk, Anne, Noor, Rianne, Ivo and others: let’s have many more reunions. I thank Fokke G erritsen for awarding me a fellowship at the Netherlands Institute in Turkey and enabling an inspiring stay on the shores of the Bosporus. I am equally grateful for the opportunities to visit and work at the Seminar fur Alte Geschichte in Münster, the Seminar fur Alte Geschichte und Epigraphik in Heidelberg and the Netherlands Institute at Athens. For facilitating these visits, I owe my gratitude to Peter Funke, Christian Witschel, Kris Tytgat, André Lardinois and Josh Ober, as well as the VSB-Fonds, the International Office of Radboud University Nijmegen, the Lifelong Leaming Programme of the European Commission and the national research school for Classical Studies in the Netherlands OIKOS. Some other people and institutions deserve to be mentioned for leaving their footprints on my PhD-path by providing comfort, diversions or practical help. Thanks are due to Gwen, Claartje, Marieke, Diane, Willemijn, Bart, Jet, Sandra and Dagmar for their friendship; to the colleagues of Arthouse Lux, Museum het Valkhof and Stichting Vluchtelingenwerk for valuable detours and fresh impulses; to my former flatmates for their company; to Sebastian Schmidt-Holher, Carlos Machado, John Weisweiler and Alexander Skinner for kindly sending me (drafts of) their publications; to Joris for helping me with the distribution of the manuscript; to Katie Gamer for dedicating her time this summer to dive into Constantinian Rome and thoroughly correct my English (and to Victoria for introducing us); to my uncle iv Niek for reading the Dutch summary with enthusiasm and a sharp eye; and to my brother Robin for letting me reap the benefits of his brilliant computer skills. My last words and most heartfelt thanks are reserved for my family and loved ones. I would like to thank my father Joop and mother Jacqueline for leaving me free to find my way in Nijmegen, Rome and Ghent. Tending sheep in Norway was indeed not really my thing. Knowing that you are proud of me means a lot. I am grateful to Toos and Ria for being my caring ‘sugaraunts’, and for sending me moral support, warm wishes and funny postcards. I would like to extend a dikke merci to my in-laws, Eddy, Anne-Marie, Evy, Nico, Steff, Febe, Karolien and Robin for their support and the welcome they gave me into their family and Belgium.