Roman Studies and Digital Resources

Bagnall, Roger S.; Heath, Sebastian

doi:10.1017/s0075435818000874

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 25 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Instead, I mean this article as a shared stopping point along many paths of inquiry, including those that integrate digital resources in a reproducible fashion. 32…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In particular, the encyclopedic work of J.-C. Golvin (1988) has been extensively consulted. The capacities given by Bomgardner (2000) are often used in the calculations that follow, particularly for North African buildings. The data has been collected into a single file that is available on the site GitHub and I have also shared the Python code that implements the calculations.…”

Section: Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Estimating and Mapping Roman Amphitheater Seating Capacity

Heath

2022

JAHA

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

While much depends on the definition of the term and the extent to which that accommodates variability, the number of currently known Roman amphitheaters can be put between 260 and 280. By both rough calculation assuming a typical capacity of 11,000 and by taking account of prior scholarship, when possible, to use individual capacities for each structure, the total estimated seating capacity of all Roman amphitheaters is approximately three million. That is a large number in the context of an ancient state such as the Roman Empire. For amphitheaters for which no estimate of capacity is available, this article uses Nearest Neighbors estimation to estimate a capacity on the basis of known dimensions. Doing so accommodates the observation that the seating capacity of any amphitheater was not zero so that a number must be calculated. All the data by which these calculations are made -along with the Python code -are available for download and adaptation so that the process used here is reproducible. With an estimated total having been calculated, the distribution of this capacity is explored as grouped by modern countries as well as by ancient regions. The distribution is also mapped. These visualizations highlight Italy, and particularly Campania, as the area of greatest concentration of amphitheater seating. The central part of Africa Proconsularis, roughly modern Tunisia, is also an area of relatively high concentration. The main goal of this article is to report the approximately three million total estimated seating capacity and to visualize and map its spatial distribution. The article does also suggest that while amphitheaters can be considered important symbols of Roman culture, the unequal distribution of seating implies unequal access to the experience of watching violent entertainments in these buildings. By offering a relatively straightforward approach to calculating total seating capacity, it also intends to be an easy point of reference for scholars integrating amphitheaters into historical narratives that take account of the inherent uncertainty that comes with the study of these large structures.

show abstract

“…Instead, I mean this article as a shared stopping point along many paths of inquiry, including those that integrate digital resources in a reproducible fashion. 32…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating and Mapping Roman Amphitheater Seating Capacity

Heath

2022

JAHA

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The online resources available today have great potential to generate increasing participation and interest in Roman archaeology from the public. As Bagnall and Heath (2018) note, however, the quality of resources available without cost to an individual is frequently contingent on their institutional membership. Many projects and databases like EAGLE 1 that took advantage of the earlier funding opportunities also have poorer user interfaces and are not updated to meet demands.…”

Section: Archaeology Todaymentioning

confidence: 99%

From TRAC to TRAJ: Widening Debates in Roman Archaeology

Hanscam¹,

Quiery²

2018

Theoretical Roman Archaeology Journal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The publication of this first issue of the Theoretical Roman Archaeology Journal (TRAJ) is an indication of the accomplishments that the Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference (TRAC) has had in the past (nearly) three decades. In the editorial for this first issue, the guest editors celebrate the successes of TRAC, but also reflect back upon its history to re-examine the field of Roman studies today. While Roman studies has become more diverse and inclusive over time, a lack of racial/ethnic and gender diversity is still apparent. The editorial here addresses this lack of diversity in an attempt to encourage scholars to engage more directly with such difficult issues.

show abstract

“…(O’Brien, 2013, p. 437). Recent historiographical papers and literature reviews have reiterated fears already put on page by Lawrence Stone in 1987, that digital history projects have not produced results that justify their complexity and cost (Stone, 1987) - although, as Bagnall and Heath (2018) suggest, this is arguably due less to the merits of the works in question than to issues like the complexities of maintenance of digital resources; the disparate access to such material among the global research community, and the difficulties in publishing and accessing research based on digital methods. Some scholars, like Shawn Graham and Kevin Kee, also blame the anxieties of an academic ‘old guard' which fears that mastering new skill sets will prompt the abandonment of old ones.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a Reconciliation Between Simulational, Ludic, and Historiographical Practices in Research

Marino Carvalho

2024

Simulation & Gaming

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Simulations, ludic or otherwise, have so far struggled to gain a foothold in mainstream historiography. Some authors suggest there may be fundamental incompatibilities between history and the language of simulations and scholarly games. Others believe that designing, employing, and validating historical simulations may be simply too costly and/or labor-intensive to justify their widespread adoption. Intervention This paper intends to identify points of friction between historiography and simulation-based research and suggest practical solutions to these issues. Methods My discussion is based on the description and analysis of a case study, the ThomondSim/ The Triumphs of Turlough research project. The initiative consisted of the development and application of an agent-based computational model (ABM) and a scholarly board game to investigate the possible associations between economic, environmental, and military hazards in 13th and 14th centuries Ireland. Results and Discussion Ensuring the simulations matched historical evidence to a standard deemed acceptable by the historiographical community limited their phase space, compromising their capacity to explore emergent phenomena. The intricacy of the underlying conceptual model suited the ABM better than the board game, which struggled to reconcile complexity with good game design practices. The board game, however, proved to be an effective validating tool for the ABM. Limitations and Suggestions for Further Research The project espoused an overt simulation- and game-centric approach, paying little attention to unguided play. Recent literature suggests that fostering, rather than hindering, playful exploration could address some of the pitfalls identified by this project. Conclusion Play could be a means of reconciliation between simulational, ludic, and historiographical practices. However, to ensure that projects adhere to epistemic standards, it is recommended that a methodology is developed to integrate it into research in ways that can be tested and evaluated.

show abstract

Roman Studies and Digital Resources

Cited by 7 publications

References 25 publications

Estimating and Mapping Roman Amphitheater Seating Capacity

Estimating and Mapping Roman Amphitheater Seating Capacity

From TRAC to TRAJ: Widening Debates in Roman Archaeology

Towards a Reconciliation Between Simulational, Ludic, and Historiographical Practices in Research

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About