The Roman Imperial Court in the Principate and Late Antiquity

Abstract

The volume examines the Roman imperial court as a social and cultural institution across six centuries between the reigns of Augustus (27 bc–ad 14) and Justinian (ad 527–65). The Principate (the early Roman Empire) and Late Antiquity (the late Roman Empire) are usually examined separately by scholars who specialize in one period or the other. This book brings together scholars of both phases of Roman history to analyse continuities and changes across the centuries, focusing on themes such as court ceremonial, imperial residences, systems of patronage, the roles of generals and women, and the relationship between the court and the church. A concluding essay sets the transformation of the Roman imperial court in historical context by comparing its development with other monarchical courts across Eurasia.