This is an excerpt (Conclusion) from an article that will be published soon in a volume I edited with colleague Halina Dobrzanska:
E.C. De Sena and H. Dobrzanska (eds.), The Roman Empire and Beyond: Archaeological and Historical Research on the Romans and Native Cultures in Central Europe, BAR-IS (in preparation). The article is entitled "Through the Looking Glass: perceptions of ethnic and national identity in the Roman Balkans and beyond."
V. Conclusion. This paper has explored the issue of how the natives of the Roman Balkans and beyond were perceived by core Romans and how they viewed themselves in terms of ethnic and national identity. The first analysis, based primarily upon public art in Rome and the writings of Ovid and Tacitus, suggest that perceptions of the central European natives changed over time from being considered as subjects or curious savages in the Augustan Age to dignified adversaries during the reign of Trajan. At the time of Hadrian and Antoninus Pius, the natives were clearly portrayed as diverse from core Romans, but were considered to be an integral part of the Empire. A similar attitude of Rome as an ethnic melting pot was maintained into the reign of Marcus Aurelius; however, the Marcomannic-Sarmatian Wars fed attitudes of hostility toward the “barbarians” beyond the Roman limes. Auxiliary troops, who represented civilized natives, are more prominent in official art at this time, indicating an attitude of acceptance of Rome’s multi-ethnic population. Clearly, public art does not provide such keen insights into how the entire population of the Urbs and Italy perceived the natives of the Balkans. The works of art reflect the attitude of the patrons and, while these media would have been reinforced by triumphal processions, public addresses and spectacles or literature, we cannot be sure how deeply accepted the messages were by the general populace. Passers-by may not have so much as glanced at the Columns and Triumphal monuments as they led their lives in Rome, let alone stopping and pondering over the figures.
The natives of the Roman Balkans and the adjacent area of Barbaricum (i.e., Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and Romania) also perceived themselves in a small variety of manners. Many native elites and other socially ambitious inhabitants of the provinces displayed Roman attributes in terms of appearance and behavior, which is discerned by a review of portraiture and, to some degree, housing. Togas and Antonine beards could not mask all ethnic features and some natives chose to wear ethnically characteristic items of clothing or adornment. Most natives both within and outside the Empire were not interested in becoming Roman and continued their traditional practices of craft production, agriculture and forms of housing. This is not readily apparent in the archaeological record of the Empire with the exception of some pottery types. A review of artifact assemblages and settlement patterns in Barbaricum, however, even at sites in close proximity of Aquincum and Porolissum, indicates that the native populations only adopted minor attributes or techniques from the Romans insofar as they could obtain modest economic benefits.
The Roman Empire was miraculous in terms of the extent, solidity and duration of its existence. What began as an oligarchic republic that controlled the western and central Mediterranean basin developed into a highly democratic and ethnically diversified state. The Romans would always seek to maintain their system of values (e.g., justice, valor, piety, self-sufficiency); however, in the Republican and early Imperial periods Romans were ethnically Italian and there was a great distinction between citizens and non-citizen natives. By the Severan period “Roman” no longer implied Italian origin and, in fact, much of the Late Roman ruling class hailed from all corners of the Empire. Even common folk must have felt a deep connection to Roman tradition and culture after two or three centuries of Roman rule. People were often proud of their homelands and, thus, maintained, their ethnic attributes, including names, clothing, items of adornment, local gods, etc. Like the vines on the Ara Pacis, these diverse groups formed the Empire. Indeed this is one of the chief factors that led to the greatness of Rome: common vision and attitudes, while accepting diversity and change.
