Elite Identities and the Birth of Europe: Germanic Coins and Barbarian Medallions and Bracteates

Sponsoring Organization(s)

Imagines Maiestatis (IMAGMA)

Organizer Name

David Wigg-Wolf

Organizer Affiliation

Römisch-Germanische Kommission des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts

Presider Name

Alan Stahl

Presider Affiliation

Princeton Univ.

Paper Title 1

The Technology of Early Barbarian Imitations

Presenter 1 Name

Aleksander Bursche, Kiril Myzgin

Presenter 1 Affiliation

Univ. Warszawski, Univ. Warszawski

Paper Title 2

Barbaric versus Barbarous: Some Methodological Remarks on Imitations of Ancient Coins

Presenter 2 Name

Tomasz Wiecek

Presenter 2 Affiliation

Univ. Warszawski

Paper Title 3

Barbarian Imitations, Networks, and the Formation of Germanic Elites

Presenter 3 Name

David Wigg-Wolf, Holger Komnick

Presenter 3 Affiliation

Römisch-Germansiche Kommission des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts, Römisch-Germansiche Kommission des Deutschen Archäologischen Instituts

Paper Title 4

Imitation and Transformation: From Roman Medallions to Scandinavian Bracteates

Presenter 4 Name

Nancy L. Wicker

Presenter 4 Affiliation

Univ. of Mississippi

Start Date

11-5-2017 10:00 AM

Session Location

Fetzer 1010

Description

Interaction between Rome and the barbarians who lived to the north of the Empire was to shape the face of European society after the fall of the Roman Empire in the West. The contacts between the two worlds were a significant contributory factor in the formation of the new elites who were subsequently to settle in the territory of the old Empire and form the kingdoms of medieval Europe.

In order to appreciate this transformation fully it is important to understand how and why the new elites were formed, and evidence for this is provided by a previously neglected group of material: imitations of Roman coins produced by the developing elites right across the Barbaricum north of the Roman frontier, and used by them to demonstrate their status. These provide an unparalleled microcosm of this cultural meeting, a unique synthesis of Roman and indigenous societies. Furthermore, coins offer particularly rich potential, reflecting a wider range of functions and intentions, from official production to private usage, from economic to prestige roles, than almost any other class of material culture.

The session will analyse this representational art as a medium of expression of new social identities in early Medieval Europe that resulted from the contacts between Rome and the barbarians. They will consider a variety of aspects from the transfer of know-how, ideas and technology, to the role of iconography in the self-representation of the elites, and coins as symbols of power.

David Wigg-Wolf

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May 11th, 10:00 AM

Elite Identities and the Birth of Europe: Germanic Coins and Barbarian Medallions and Bracteates

Fetzer 1010

Interaction between Rome and the barbarians who lived to the north of the Empire was to shape the face of European society after the fall of the Roman Empire in the West. The contacts between the two worlds were a significant contributory factor in the formation of the new elites who were subsequently to settle in the territory of the old Empire and form the kingdoms of medieval Europe.

In order to appreciate this transformation fully it is important to understand how and why the new elites were formed, and evidence for this is provided by a previously neglected group of material: imitations of Roman coins produced by the developing elites right across the Barbaricum north of the Roman frontier, and used by them to demonstrate their status. These provide an unparalleled microcosm of this cultural meeting, a unique synthesis of Roman and indigenous societies. Furthermore, coins offer particularly rich potential, reflecting a wider range of functions and intentions, from official production to private usage, from economic to prestige roles, than almost any other class of material culture.

The session will analyse this representational art as a medium of expression of new social identities in early Medieval Europe that resulted from the contacts between Rome and the barbarians. They will consider a variety of aspects from the transfer of know-how, ideas and technology, to the role of iconography in the self-representation of the elites, and coins as symbols of power.

David Wigg-Wolf