Abstract:Complexity science refers to the theoretical research perspectives and the formal modelling tools designed to study complex systems. A complex system consists of separate entities interacting following a set of (often simple) rules that collectively give rise to unexpected patterns featuring vastly different properties than the entities that produced them. In recent years a number of case studies have shown that such approaches have great potential for furthering our understanding of the past phenomena explore… Show more
“…In this paper, we present an approach that explores theories addressing archaeological research questions, informed by a large archaeological data set. Such question-and data-driven selection of methodological and theoretical frameworks should become more widely applied in the historical disciplines and particularly in Roman Studies, where computational modelling is exceptionally rare [58]. We can similarly highlight the potential of archaeological data and research contexts to test social learning hypotheses at large temporal and geographical scales, which may enrich Cultural Evolution studies.…”
Section: Methodological Insights Into Linked Cultural Economic Processesmentioning
The availability of reliable commercial information is considered a key feature of inter-regional trade if the Roman economy was highly integrated. However, the extent to which archaeological and historical sources of inter-regional trade reflect the degree of economic integration is still not fully understood, a question which lies at the heart of current debates in Roman Studies. Ceramic tableware offers one of the only comparable and quantifiable sources of information for Roman inter-regional trade over centuries-long time periods. The distribution patterns and stylistic features of tablewares from the East Mediterranean dated between 200 BC and AD 300 suggest a competitive market where buying decisions might have been influenced by access to reliable commercial information. We contribute to this debate by representing three competing hypotheses in an agent-based model: success-biased social learning of tableware buying strategies (requiring access to reliable commercial information from all traders), unbiased social learning (requiring limited access), and independent learning (requiring no access). We use approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) to evaluate which hypothesis best describes archaeologically observed tableware distribution patterns. Our results revealed success-bias is not a viable theory and we demonstrate instead that local innovation (independent learning) is a plausible driving factor in inter-regional tableware trade. We also suggest that tableware distribution should instead be explored as a small component of long-distance trade cargoes dominated by foodstuffs, metals, and building materials.
“…In this paper, we present an approach that explores theories addressing archaeological research questions, informed by a large archaeological data set. Such question-and data-driven selection of methodological and theoretical frameworks should become more widely applied in the historical disciplines and particularly in Roman Studies, where computational modelling is exceptionally rare [58]. We can similarly highlight the potential of archaeological data and research contexts to test social learning hypotheses at large temporal and geographical scales, which may enrich Cultural Evolution studies.…”
Section: Methodological Insights Into Linked Cultural Economic Processesmentioning
The availability of reliable commercial information is considered a key feature of inter-regional trade if the Roman economy was highly integrated. However, the extent to which archaeological and historical sources of inter-regional trade reflect the degree of economic integration is still not fully understood, a question which lies at the heart of current debates in Roman Studies. Ceramic tableware offers one of the only comparable and quantifiable sources of information for Roman inter-regional trade over centuries-long time periods. The distribution patterns and stylistic features of tablewares from the East Mediterranean dated between 200 BC and AD 300 suggest a competitive market where buying decisions might have been influenced by access to reliable commercial information. We contribute to this debate by representing three competing hypotheses in an agent-based model: success-biased social learning of tableware buying strategies (requiring access to reliable commercial information from all traders), unbiased social learning (requiring limited access), and independent learning (requiring no access). We use approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) to evaluate which hypothesis best describes archaeologically observed tableware distribution patterns. Our results revealed success-bias is not a viable theory and we demonstrate instead that local innovation (independent learning) is a plausible driving factor in inter-regional tableware trade. We also suggest that tableware distribution should instead be explored as a small component of long-distance trade cargoes dominated by foodstuffs, metals, and building materials.
“…More recently, the TRAC thematic series has focused on specific theoretical strands, stemming directly from one or more sessions held at the conference. In addition, several multi-authored journal articles in TRAJ have brought focus to under-represented topics including the praxis of Roman archaeology (Weekes et al 2019) and modelling and complexity science (Brughmans et al 2019). Gardner (2016: 10) has recently argued that while TRAC's multi-vocality may have led to theoretical fragmentation, TRAC can act as a venue to turn diversity into renewed dialogue.…”
Section: Research Strandsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…However, the overall number of multiauthored papers has increased in number since 2010, particularly in the years since the creation of TRAJ. Several recent multi-authored TRAJ articles have been produced from sessions held at the conference and represent the articles with the greatest number of co-authors (Brughmans et al 2019;Weekes et al 2019).…”
Section: Location Frequencymentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Positively, we are seeing the greater collaboration and innovation that Gardner (2016: 10) advocated on TRAC's 25 th anniversary. This is apparent through the three TRAC workshops held over the last five years (TRAC 2020b) and the reflexive publication style apparent in TRAJ, which in its short tenure has already seen the publication of two highly collaborative articles directly from TRAC conference sessions (Brughmans et al 2019;Weekes et al 2019). Together these improvements and the work of TRAC participants have enriched the diverse and cohesive community that TRAC is known for.…”
As TRAC approaches another milestone anniversary there is much to celebrate - a successful conference, a large body of publications, and a thriving community. Part of this success stems from the unusually introspective and self-critical nature of the organisation. However, despite this tradition, there has been limited data-driven analysis of TRAC's successes and failures. This paper uses bibliometric data from the corpus of TRAC publications over the last 30 years to analyse whether the organisation has achieved its aims. Alongside data from comparable journals, this research will also determine whether TRAC is ahead or behind the wider academic world. This paper provides insights into how diverse TRAC has become and how me might move forward in future.
“…Recently, the combination of established methods and formal approaches (e.g., network analysis, GIS, agent-based modeling, quantitative textual analysis) has demonstrated significant potential for the historiography of the ancient Mediterranean (and beyond) [8,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. The present article follows this academic trend and reveals, by means of a GIS proximity analysis based on the platform of Roman transportation road network, specific spatial patterns in the worship of Asclepius in the military environment in the provinces along a portion of the border of the Roman Empire leading from Britannia to Moesia Inferior (i.e., Britannia, Germania Superior and Inferior, Raetia, Noricum, Pannonia Superior and Inferior, Dacia, and Moesia Superior and Inferior, Fig 1).…”
The article applies a GIS based approach to the study of the spread of the cult of Asclepius, the Greco-Roman healing god, during the Roman period. It explores the role of soldiers and physicians in the spatial dissemination of the cult along the transportation network of Roman roads in the border provinces of Britannia, Germania Superior and Inferior, Raetia, Noricum, Pannonia Superior and Inferior, Moesia Superior and Inferior, and Dacia. These provinces were selected as a suitable area for quantitative GIS exploration because they were all on the outer border of the Roman Empire, had a significant military presence, and there is a representative amount of inscriptions attested that can be used as proxies for the spatial occurrence of the three measured variables: the cult of Asclepius, Roman soldiers, and Roman physicians. After establishing by means of spatial proximity analysis that the cult of Asclepius occurred frequently in the context of the Roman army, the article proposes and quantitatively evaluates a more specific hypothesis; i.e., that the spatial occurrences of Roman physicians in inscriptions are a relevant predictor for the spatial occurrences of the worship of Asclepius in the environment of the Roman army because of the shared focus between physicians and the cult of Asclepius—health and medicine. The highly significant results of the statistical analysis reveal a positive trend in the spatial relationships between Roman physicians and the worship of Asclepius in the context of the Roman army in the majority of provinces of interest, thus supporting the proposed hypothesis. The results presented in the article demonstrate the potential of the GIS approach in testing assumptions produced by traditional scholarship and in nuancing our understanding of a specific process of cultural spread.
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