WAR, SLAVERY, AND EMPIRE IN ROMAN IMPERIAL ICONOGRAPHY

摘要

This paper discusses the theme of defeated and captured enemies in Roman art based on a selection of examples from the imperial period. It argues that the relative prominence and frequency of such images can be correlated with historical texts and documents to demonstrate that the taking of captives for enslavement was a significant aim of Roman warfare. Examples of similar iconography from other ancient cultures, in particular the Neo-Assyrian Empire, are compared to suggest that a preference for motifs celebrating the acquisition of slaves through warfare is a general characteristic of the commemorative art of ancient imperial cultures.