Ersin Hussein
Second Year PhD Candidate
The Department of Classics and Ancient History, The University of Warwick
Working Title of Thesis: Power and Identity in Roman Cyprus
Tutor: Dr Alison Cooley
‘From Romanization to Creolization: Ancient Dialogues with Sociology’.
Studies into the culture, local identity, and ‘Romanization’ of the provinces in the Roman
Empire have greatly benefited from the adoption of theoretical frameworks taken from the
Social Sciences, particularly from postcolonial studies. Whether one views the adoption of
theories developed from recent or specific areas of history to study the past as ‘theoretical
piracy’ or the mark of good historians looking for solutions outside the perimeters of the
periods within which they are working, this topic illuminates the benefits of maintaining a
dialogue with the past and present and challenges the age old notion that Classics and
Ancient History excite only a minority of individuals in specific circles and working
environments. In light of recent announcements from Royal Holloway regarding its
Department of Classics, this paper will consider the future and value of Classics, whilst
drawing upon the most recent debates surrounding methodological approaches used for
investigating the themes of cultural contact and identity in the Roman Empire. Roman
Cyprus, often considered the ‘crossroads of civilizations’, seems highly appropriate to use as
a case study to highlight how any study into the concepts of culture, identity, and
multiculturalism in antiquity also has a part to play in working towards a constantly evolving
understanding and appreciation of the world in which we live today.