Research Article

Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida

Number: 18 November 11, 2025
TR EN

Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida

Abstract

In the Roman Imperial period, paideia and, relatedly, language were used as important tools by the social elite to prove and consolidate their status in a society characterised by social mobility. It is therefore not surprising that this phenomenon also manifested itself in decorative home furnishings, as the education acquired could be showcased during receptions and banquets to guests of similar social status. The owners of the villae and domus were able to stage themselves and their specific education in a variety of ways. A special example for this is the cosmological mosaic in Mérida, which is unique in many respects. Some of the 32 preserved personifications depicting the structure of the cosmos are characterized by a tense relationship between iconography and name inscriptions. These cases show that the cultural practice of embellished and riddled speaking, popular from the High Imperial period onwards, was applied to a visual medium. This enabled the patron to display his rhetoric abilities and high level of education to his invited guests.

Keywords

References

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  6. Alföldi-Rosenbaum 1993 E. Alföldi-Rosenbaum, “Mérida Revisited, The Cosmological Mosaic in the Light of Discussions Since 1979”, MM 34, 254-274.
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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Archaeological Science

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

November 11, 2025

Submission Date

December 31, 2024

Acceptance Date

September 29, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Number: 18

APA
Honikel, A.-L. (2025). Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida. Journal of Mosaic Research, 18, 197-209. https://doi.org/10.26658/jmr.1814177
AMA
1.Honikel AL. Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida. JMR. 2025;(18):197-209. doi:10.26658/jmr.1814177
Chicago
Honikel, Anna-Laura. 2025. “Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida”. Journal of Mosaic Research, nos. 18: 197-209. https://doi.org/10.26658/jmr.1814177.
EndNote
Honikel A-L (November 1, 2025) Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida. Journal of Mosaic Research 18 197–209.
IEEE
[1]A.-L. Honikel, “Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida”, JMR, no. 18, pp. 197–209, Nov. 2025, doi: 10.26658/jmr.1814177.
ISNAD
Honikel, Anna-Laura. “Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida”. Journal of Mosaic Research. 18 (November 1, 2025): 197-209. https://doi.org/10.26658/jmr.1814177.
JAMA
1.Honikel A-L. Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida. JMR. 2025;:197–209.
MLA
Honikel, Anna-Laura. “Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida”. Journal of Mosaic Research, no. 18, Nov. 2025, pp. 197-09, doi:10.26658/jmr.1814177.
Vancouver
1.Anna-Laura Honikel. Self-Presentation and Display of Paideia by Roman Imperial Villa Owners. The Case of the Cosmological Mosaic in Mérida. JMR. 2025 Nov. 1;(18):197-209. doi:10.26658/jmr.1814177

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