Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Conventions
- Abbreviations
- List of Roman Emperors to c. AD 300
- Register of Prominent Courtiers
- Major Authors and Literary Works Translated in this Volume
- Glossary
- Introduction: The Sources for the Roman Court
- 1 Conceptualizing the Roman Court
- 2 Court Spaces
- 3 Court Relationships
- 4 Rituals and Ceremonial
- 5 Picturing the Court
- 6 Narratives of Court Crises
- Bibliography
- Index of Sources
- Index of Personal Names
- General Index
4 - Rituals and Ceremonial
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 September 2022
- Frontmatter
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Contributors
- Acknowledgements
- Conventions
- Abbreviations
- List of Roman Emperors to c. AD 300
- Register of Prominent Courtiers
- Major Authors and Literary Works Translated in this Volume
- Glossary
- Introduction: The Sources for the Roman Court
- 1 Conceptualizing the Roman Court
- 2 Court Spaces
- 3 Court Relationships
- 4 Rituals and Ceremonial
- 5 Picturing the Court
- 6 Narratives of Court Crises
- Bibliography
- Index of Sources
- Index of Personal Names
- General Index
Summary
The texts and images in this chapter illustrate events involving the Roman imperial court that can be regarded as rituals. These included regular occurrences that took place on a daily or near-daily basis, such as the salutatio, dinners, and religious sacrifices. They also included special occasions like festivals, diplomatic receptions, lavish banquets, and the acclamation of a new emperor. Some of these events occurred in court spaces, and involved a wide cross-section of the court community. These ceremonies functioned as displays of consensus among members of the court community, as their actions demonstrated shared values and expectations. Others did not consistently take place in court spaces, but merit inclusion here because they involved key members of the court community. The sources show how the rules and expectations of these rituals were subject to modification both by emperors and courtiers, who experimented with new types of address, greeting, and physical contact.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Roman Emperor and his Court c. 30 BC–c. AD 300 , pp. 132 - 183Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022