Completion of research monograph, The Cambridge Handbook to Latin Epigraphy

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The Cambridge Handbook to Latin Epigraphy' offers a comprehensive guide to understanding the production, reception, and study of Latin inscriptions. It embraces ancient inscriptions of all chronological periods, from the earliest Latin inscriptions of the Republic to Late Antiquity (including Christian epigraphy), and of all shapes and sizes, not just public monuments bearing stone and bronze inscriptions, but also graffiti, stamps, and writing in other media. The book starts with an epigraphic sample (Part 1), drawn from the Bay of Naples, with a dual purpose - to illustrate the dynamic epigraphic culture of a particular region and to provide a wide range of sample inscriptions to which reference will be made in the rest of the volume. The aim of this section is to present a selection of inscriptions, covering a broad range of types and chronology. The selection will include not only monumental inscriptions, but also graffiti scatched upon plaster, dipinti (painted inscriptions), and 'instrumentum domesticum' (everyday objects such as pottery storage and transport vessels). The inscriptions will be presented in their archaeological context as much as possible. Some of the hazards of epigraphic scholarship - notably the misattribution of inscriptions in volumes of Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum published in the 19th century - will also emerge. By drawing on only a limited geographical area, it will be possible to explore the regional significance of epigraphic practice. The aim will be to present an overall analysis of the dynamic epigraphic culture in this area rather than simply a series of disparate epigraphic examples. The examples will illustrate some of the approaches and problems presented in Parts 2-3. Part 2 provides a detailed exploration of the nature of epigraphic culture in the Roman world. It will focus on the motivations behind the production of inscriptions of all types. It will tackle fundamental questions such as 'what is epigraphy?', and will point out the dangers of over-simplification inherent in dividing inscriptions up into traditional categories (such as epitaphs, or honorific inscriptions). It will also consider in detail local epigraphic fashions, examining why, when, and where some sections of society embraced 'the epigraphic habit' more than others. It will address the issue of the extent to which Christianity introduced new fashions into epigraphic practice. A final section 'The Production of Inscriptions' will examine the mechanisms by which inscriptions were created. It will consider the following. How were monumental inscriptions commissioned? To what extent was the final product the result of customer choice? How did the cost of an inscription have an impact on its material and quality? Who controlled the words of the inscribed text and its physical monumental setting? What factors influenced language-choice (looking at bilingualism and code-switching, diglossia, and the use of Latin in the Greek East)? These will be set against the background of the existence of local epigraphies and the spread of Latin in the West (e.g. the disappearance of Italic languages and survival of neo-Punic). Where did inscriptions stand? What sort of control was exerted over public space and the right to set up inscriptions? How did text and context interact (both on the level of the individual monument, with its visual puns and complementary or contrasting messages of text and image, and in the meaningful juxtaposition of monuments, as part of social competition and claims to status)? Lastly, Part 3 provides practical help with dealing with inscriptions in their published form and as they exist in reality. In short, the handbook aims to encourage a more thoughtful use of inscriptions as a means of understanding society and culture in the Roman world, going beyond discussion of inscribed texts as simple documents that can be used to reconstruct ancient history.