The Aesthetics of Office: Representations of a Late Roman Imperial Elite (4th–6th c. AD) (A01)

• Subject Area: Ancient History ; Classical, Roman, Christian and Islamic Archaeology
• Term: since 2019
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 405662736

A01 examines aesthetic practices among social elites, focusing both on their habitus, i. e. their demeanour, clothing, and stylization of language, gestures, and facial expression, as well as on artefacts, especially status-generating images of human beings. We conceive of both as a manifestation of the same figure of aesthetic reflection: a way of producing 'presence' in social interactions. Special attention will be paid to the relationship between autological and heterological factors in the development of these practices. During its second funding phase, the project will evaluate and extend its findings by moving its focus to a new case study: the 'aesthetics of office' among the late Roman imperial elite (4th–6th c. AD).

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1391: Different Aesthetics
• Applicant Institution: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
• Project Heads: Professorin Dr. Cristina Murer, since 7/2023; Professor Dr. Richard Posamentir, until 6/2023; Professor Dr. Sebastian Schmidt-Hofner