Project Summary
This project is hosted by: Institute of Classical Studies
- Research interests:
- Academic Support, Ancient History, Civil Rights, Classics, History, Politics
- Regions:
- Africa, Africa, Asia, Asia, Europe, Europe, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
- Project period:
- 11-Jan-2015 - 31-Oct-2018
- Project categories:
- Fellowship grant
- Project summary:
The notion of diplomacy, understood as a social practice between sovereign nations, has dominated international relations since the Peace of Westphalia. Diplomats are, in such a worldview, agents of polities, subordinated to the interests of their governments. Recent studies into Roman imperialism have constructed models of understanding based on Realism theories of International
Relations, and placed emphasis on the homogeneity and unitary of states as decision-makers. This study aims to rethink ancient diplomatic practice for a world in which social networks and intercommunity acts where primarily conducted in terms of individual elite interactions and kinship ties. Diplomacy is understood as the institutionalized communication between political entities, as a means to establishing and maintaining inter-community relations and dialogues of power in the ancient world. Whilst Burton has focused on the specific aspect of kinship in terms of discursive frameworks and social constructs, and in Eilers’ edited volume language and communication along
with the patterns and rhythms of diplomacy are considered my purpose is to examine the production of space in order to understand diplomacy as a social practice in the Roman world, from the mid-Republic to High Empire.
Management Details
Lead researcher & project contact:
| Name | Position | Institute | Organisation | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ms Hannah Cornwell | Non-Stipendary Fellow | Institute of Classical Studies | SAS | hannah.cornwell@sas.ac.uk |
Funding:
| Funder | Grant type | Award |
|---|---|---|
| The Leverhulme Trust | Early Career Fellowship |