Roman Urbanism - Beyond The Consumer City (Hardcover)

The study of Roman towns and cities has long been dominated by the "consumer city" model set out by Moses Finley in the 1970s, which characterizes ancient cities as sites of consumption, not production. Archaeologists and ancient historians are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the limitations of this model, and with its narrowly economic perspective. This work raises questions about how Roman cities are perceived by experts in the 1990s. The contributors use a variety of new approaches and methodologies. They consider the various social implications of Roman urbanism and the organization of urban space. By diverting attention away from "the consumer city", this collection re-contextualizes the Roman town where it belongs: in the realms of social and political relationships.