Images of Gender in Roman Iberia

Abstract

The mosaics of the provinces of Roman Iberia depict gods and goddesses, monsters and maidens, revelry and rapture. They were important decorative items, built into the very structure of the house. Thus, they became part of the visual landscape that surrounded the viewer and contributed to his or her sense of identity. This thesis will explore the contribution of these mosaics to the gender identities of the men and women of Roman Iberia.
The research will examine the conception of gender within these societies, analysing the mosaics in regard to their iconographical and contextual information. The physical environment is as important as the images themselves in understanding how gender roles might be enacted in these spaces. Finally, this thesis will discuss the question of the specificity of these mosaics to the Iberian provinces: can we identify a peculiarly “Iberian” conception of gender in these mosaics?

Date of Award	1 Oct 2019
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Bristol
Sponsors	South, West and Wales Doctoral Training Partnership
Supervisor	Louise Revell (Supervisor) & Shelley J Hales (Supervisor)