Roman Economy, Society, and Law: New Approaches
Wall fresco from the Necropolis ostiensis, Via Laurentina, Colombario 31, date: 3rd century. The wall painting depicts the loading of a river vessel, named here as the Isis Geminiana, with goods, measured by volume. Image: Musei Vaticani, Inv. 79638
June 25: American Academy in Rome – 2:00pm
June 26: Accademia Vivarium novum, Frascati – 9:00am
This two-day event brings together scholars of various academic traditions—including Roman law, Roman economy, and Roman society—to explore key themes of Roman history. These include free labor, entrepreneurship for enslaved people and women, legal fiction, and the social realities of life as experienced from the late Roman Republic to the fall of the Roman Empire.
There is growing interest among scholars and widespread recognition of the centrality of these themes for a better understanding of Roman society and law. Much of the new research in these areas has been put forward by the participants of our event. This meeting aims to draw international attention to scholarly innovations of the past few years and provide an opportunity for scholarly debate and the cross-fertilization of ideas.
Cohosted by the American Academy in Rome and Academia Vivarium Novum, Roman Economy, Society, and Law: New Approaches is also organized by the Sapienza Center for the Study of the Mediterranean and Near East in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages and by CASAM, the Center for Advanced Studies on the Ancient Mediterranean – Social and Economic History.
Speakers
Clifford Ando (Univ. Chicago, USA)
Kim Bowes (Univ. Pennsylvania, USA)
Edward Cohen (Univ. Pennsylvania, USA)
Éva Jakab (Univ. Szeged, Hungary)
Christel Freu (Univ. Paris Saclay, France)
Richard Gamauf (Univ. Wien, Austria)
Dennis Kehoe (Tulane, USA) TBC
Aldo Petrucci (Università di Pisa)
Martin Schermaier (Univ. Bonn, Germany)
Jean-Jacques Aubert (Univ. Neuchatel)
Organized by: Marco Maiuro (Univ. Roma, La Sapienza); Edward Cohen (UPenn).
Collaborator Languages: English and Italian.
Wednesday–Thursday, June 25–26, 2025
For access to the Academy, guests will be asked to show a valid photo ID. Backpacks and luggage with dimensions larger than 40 x 35 x 15 cm (16 x 14 x 6 in.) are not permitted on the property. There are no locker facilities available. You may not bring animals (with the exception of seeing-eye/guide dogs).
The Academy is accessible to wheelchair users and others who need to avoid stairs. Please email us at events@aarome.org if you or someone in your party uses a wheelchair or other mobility devices so that we can ensure the best possible visitor experience. If you are someone with a disability or medical condition that may require special accommodation, please also email us at events@aarome.org.
AAR; Università degli studi di Roma, Sapienza; Academia Vivarium Novum; Sapienza Center for the Study of the Mediterranean and Near East in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages; and by CASAM, the Center for Advanced Studies on the Ancient Mediterranean – Social and Economic History.