In the Footsteps of the Gods

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Processions

Katherine A. Crawford University of Southampton

K.A.Crawford@soton.ac.uk

Digital Classicist Seminar v February 7, 2017

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Roman Processions

Ara Pacis

Arch of Titus

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Pompa Circensis

Roman Triumphal Route (Beard 2007)

Falerii Novi, E-W ‘sacred way’ (Keay, Millett & Strutt 2007)

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

A boy fell down while carrying a Victory in a procession such as the

soldiers hold… ~ Dio 47.40.8

Salutaris Decree The care of the aforementioned sacred images, and the conveyance before everyone, from the temple into the theatre, and from the theatre into the temple of Artemis, will be done according to the bequest every year...

(Rogers 1991)

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Archaeology of Processions?

“The city was all decked with garlands, was ablaze with lights and reeking with incense, and the whole population, the senators themselves most of all, kept shouting in chorus.”

~ Dio 63.20.5

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Ostia Antica

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Researching Processional Routes

Research Questions: v  To what extent can we study processional routes at

Ostia?

v  What is the best methodology for modelling and visualizing processions?

v  How do these models help us to understand Ostia’s religious landscape?

Ostia’s Religious Landscape

Serapeum

Tempio dei Fabri Navales

Santuario di Attis

Capitolium

Tempio

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Excavation History

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Studying Ostian Religion

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Ostia Processions

Navigium Isidis, Vatican Museum

Feast of Diana; Vendemia, Vatican Museum Campus of Magna Mater

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Scholarship

‘Archaic Sacred Route’ (DeLaine 2008)

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Urban Movement

Vitruvius De Architectura 4.5.1

Similarly, houses of the gods on the

sides of public roads should be arranged

so that the passers-by can have a view of

them and pay their devotions face to

face. (Morgan 1914)

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Movement at Ostia

Ostian Street Depth (Kaiser 2011)

Axial Graph - Ostia Street Integration (Stöger 2011)

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

New Approach

‘A procession is not just a journey from A to B; it matters where A and B are located, and who is doing the journey. But to properly be able to elicit what the purpose of a procession is, one must consider not only the form, but the total ritual context to which it belongs.’ (Graf 1996: 64)

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Influencing Factors

•  Movement potential along streets

•  Urban activity

•  Visibility

•  People

•  Crowds

What affects a procession’s route?

•  Movement potential along streets

•  Urban activity

Network Analysis

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Network of transport routes based off of Itineraries (Isaksen 2008)

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Pedestrian Movement

GIS Based Analyses Space Syntax Methods

Constructing a Model

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Urban Activity Variables

Religious

Commercial

Social

Domestic

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Religious

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Commercial

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Social

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Domestic

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Network Construction

Network

Nodes = building classifications

Edges = streets

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Betweenness Centrality

v  The probability that a certain node will be passed

when traveling the shortest distance between 2

nodes

Higher importance within network = greater

betweenness

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

ArcGIS: Urban Network Analysis Toolbox

Calculating in GIS

Maintain Geometry/Street layout

Problems?

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Religious Betweenness

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Extended Network

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Religious Betweenness

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Commercial Betweenness

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Domestic Betweenness

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Social Betweenness

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Kernel Density Analysis KDE of Shops

KDE of Shops Betweenness

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Multiple Betweenness Calculations Social & Domestic Spaces

Unweight Weighted

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Combined Weighted Measurements

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Weight

Religious – 1

Social – 2

Domestic – 3

Commercial - 4

Weight

Religious – 5

Social – 1

Domestic – 2

Commercial - 3

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

KDE Comparison Religious 1

Religious 5

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Next Steps ...

Cost Distance Analysis

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Preliminary Conclusions

Axial Graph - Ostia Street Integration (Stöger 2011)

Network Approach to Modelling Roman Religious Procession

Thank You!