Historiography of Romanisation
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The historiography of Romanisation is the study of the methods, sources, techniques, and concepts used by historians when examining the process of Romanisation. The Romanisation process affected different regions differently,[1] meaning that there is no singular definition for the concept, however it is generally defined as the spread of Roman civilisation and culture throughout Italy and the provinces[2] as an indication of a historical process, such as acculturation, integration and assimilation. Generally, the Romanisation process affected language, economics, cultural structures (art, religion, entertainment, recreation), family norms and material culture. Rome introduced its culture mainly through conquest, colonisation, trade, and the resettlement of retired soldiers.[3]
Romanisation, as a term, was first coined in 1885 by Theodore Mommsen who held the imperial view that Roman culture was superior to provincial ones. The main viewpoints can be categorised into two groups. The traditionalist perspective sees Romanisation as representing the cultural transformation with evident Roman civilisation, cultural and political. The Post-processualists and structuralists define Romanisation as a concept born from Mommsen's school of thought, and is a construct of this school to understand the process.[4]
The study of historiography is a relatively new phenomenon and is defined as study of how history is constructed, meaning "When you study 'historiography' you do not study the events of the past directly, but the changing interpretations of those events in the works of individual historians."[5]
The historiography of Romanisation involves many contentions and varied opinions as time goes on and the influencing context, views and values of historians evolves. The study of the historiography of Romanisation is important as it reveals cultural development and change that can be applied to other historical events and has major impacts on other disciplines, such as archaeology, as it shapes how events and findings are interpreted.[6] One of the current major contentions to the more traditional view of Romanisation as a process where native cultures are replaced with the more superior Roman culture is its association with imperialism and colonialism due to the present post-colonial, post-modern views of many modern historians.[7]