“SIT TIBI TERRA LEVIS” – Burial rites and concepts of the afterlife in the Roman Empire
Andreas Hensen
Imposing mausoleums of wealthy families, inscribed gravestones, roads lined with rows of tombs – these images shape our impression of the Roman death cult. Today, however, scientists are focusing on much more than artifacts and monuments in their investigations of Roman cemeteries: Anthropologists, zoologists, and archaeobotanists are gaining insights into the physique of the deceased and the composition of animal and vegetable food offerings, while written sources provide further insights into the rites performed at burial sites.
The findings relating to these often elaborate rituals and practices raise questions as to the ideas that people of antiquity had concerning the fate of their souls after death. On the basis of current research findings, the speaker will discuss the various facets of burial culture from the immediate vicinity of ancient Rome and the provinces of the Roman Empire, as well as their significance for us today. Archaeological finds from southwestern Germany play a special role here.
Lobdengau-Museum, Ladenburg