Roman Ionia

Roman Ionia: Constructions of Cultural Identity in Western Asia Minor

How did the cities of Ionia construct and express a distinct sense of Ionian identity under Roman rule? With the creation of the Roman province of Asia and the ever-growing incorporation of the Greeks into the Roman Empire, issues of identity gained new relevance and urgency for the Greek provincials. The Ionian cities are a special case as they, unlike many other cities in Asia Minor, were all old Greek poleis and could look back on a glorious tradition of great antiquity. Martin Hallmannsecker provides answers to this question using studies of the extant literary sources complemented with analyses of the rich epigraphic and numismatic material from the cities of Ionia. In doing so, he draws a more holistic and nuanced picture of the region and furthers understanding of Greek culture under the Roman Empire.

Review: '... a well-grounded socio-cultural study of Ionia and the construction of a distinct Ionian group awareness in relation to developments under the Roman Empire ... Hallmannsecker has done an admirable job in collecting and presenting evidence for Ionianness...' Dies van der Linde, Bryn Mawr Classical Review