Joan Pye Lecture 2023: "Writing and Power in the Roman World" with Prof. Hella Eckardt

Hosted by the Roman Research Trust and Cotswold Archaeology, Professor Hella Eckardt's talk explores the contribution of material culture studies to our understanding of Roman literacy.
From looking at the iconographic, funerary, and artefactual evidence, such as the association of inkwells and other writing equipment with men, women, and children, what can we learn about the practice of writing and the equipment used? Is it even possible to identify professional scribes?
Hella Eckardt is Professor of Roman Archaeology at the University of Reading. Specialising in the study of Roman objects, Hella has previously researched lighting equipment and objects associated with body care, such as tweezers. Hella has also collaborated with archaeological scientists to track movement and migration in the Roman Empire.