Art and Society in Fourth-Century Britain

This volume builds upon the copious and varied research on villa mosaics in Roman Britain, and evaluates it within the context of elite social life in the 4th century AD. It argues that the mosaics were an integral part of the rich lifestyles of elites in this period and played an important role in [...]
Visa längre beskrivning

This volume builds upon the copious and varied research on villa mosaics in Roman Britain, and evaluates it within the context of elite social life in the 4th century AD. It argues that the mosaics were an integral part of the rich lifestyles of elites in this period and played an important role in defining their status. Yet these symbols of power were apparantely no longer valued to the same degree by the end of the 4th century. In a period of increasing social and economic instability, the mosaics were one element in an elite lifestyle which was ultimately to prove socially divisive. In this wide-ranging study, Sarah Scott considers the significance and long-term impact of the artistic choices made by villa owners.