Problems in Ancient History: Fashion and Footwear in Late Antiquity

This interdisciplinary seminar examines self-representation through dress, footwear, hairdo, and jewelry in late antiquity. Special attention is reserved for questions regarding religion and ritual. We study a wide range of sources, including literary and documentary texts (papyri, inscriptions), iconographic representations (mosaics, frescoes, sculpture), and archaeological finds (shoes, clothes). Students conduct research with these sources and relate them to modern theoretical works about fashion, aesthetics, and self-representation.