Humanity and Nature: From Virgil to Modernity
Start Date
29-4-2022 3:00 PM
Location
Alter Hall 309
Abstract
In this thesis, I argue for an improved conception of ancient ecology beyond the simplified understanding that the those in antiquity lived in perfect harmony within nature. I specifically focus on the Roman late republic and early empire, contrasting the practices and ecological understandings seen in Roman art and literature during this time against those of modernity. By contrasting ancient practices in farming and urban design with modern practices, as well as the literature produced by both periods, differences in outlook between how ancients and moderns viewed nature become clear. This allows for a more accurate understanding of ecology in ancient Rome beyond a simple caricature of animist harmony.
Humanity and Nature: From Virgil to Modernity
Alter Hall 309
In this thesis, I argue for an improved conception of ancient ecology beyond the simplified understanding that the those in antiquity lived in perfect harmony within nature. I specifically focus on the Roman late republic and early empire, contrasting the practices and ecological understandings seen in Roman art and literature during this time against those of modernity. By contrasting ancient practices in farming and urban design with modern practices, as well as the literature produced by both periods, differences in outlook between how ancients and moderns viewed nature become clear. This allows for a more accurate understanding of ecology in ancient Rome beyond a simple caricature of animist harmony.
