How diverse was Roman Britain? For a long time, the mainstream perception was of a homogeneously European population of ethnic Brits and Romans; but we now know that Roman Britain was a multicultural society which included citizens from Africa and the Middle East. These findings have been welcomed and scorned in equal measure, with many still mistakenly believing that it is anachronistic and historically inaccurate to portray non-European people in art and media about the past.
Some of the most important work in this area has come from the field of bioarchaeology, a type of archaeology which combines a scientific analysis of human remains with the contextual study of the individual’s historical situation in order to learn about their life. Modern techniques allow us to study things such as diet, health, background, and physical appearance, all by analysing their remains. Using data from skeletons in this manner gives us a more accurate picture of the social landscape than would be gained by relying on things such as writings and inscriptions, which may skew our perceptions towards certain demographics such as men or the wealthy.
Bioarchaeology has also helped to challenge some of the assumptions of traditional archaeology. For example when the grave of a 14-year-old girl buried in Southwark was uncovered and was found to contain rare items connected to Africa such as an ivory knife shaped like a leopard, it was suggested that she came from Carthage. However, forensic study showed that she was actually of European ancestry and had grown up in the southern Mediterranean. Hence, these studies have supplemented our knowledge of the past in crucial ways and have helped offset our overreliance on artefacts. In cases where remains are found without a name or possessions, bioarchaeology is the only way to find out about their life and therefore to get an accurate picture of the population. Such methods have enabled us to prove that people of black African descent did indeed live in London throughout the Roman period.
Applicants for History, Archaeology, Anthropology, or Classics might like to consider the impact of these new scientific techniques on our knowledge past civilizations. They should think about how our perceptions of the past might be influenced by the data available to us. How can we be more objective in our study?
- PAT overview If you’re applying for Physics, Materials or a relevant joint... Read more >
- Download a History & English Personal Statement “Evidently reading is a major passion and Graham Greene has... Read more >
- Law: answer like a pro Law is a notoriously competitive subject; this, along with the... Read more >
- What You Need To Know About A Level Reforms The A Level system that has been in place since... Read more >
- University Admissions Tests: How Would You Reply? Here we have a few questions and answers to sample... Read more >
- January’s Top News Stories Read more about some of the biggest news stories to... Read more >
- History of Art Reading List History of Art at Oxford and Cambridge allows you to... Read more >
- Oxford and Cambridge Access Schemes Oxford and Cambridge aim to offer places to the best... Read more >
- Personal Statement Action Plan: Section 2 of 2 You’ve done your reading. You’ve made your brainstorm. You’ve possibly... Read more >
- How is the BMAT marked? The BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) is marked significantly differently from... Read more >
- Experimental Psychology & Psychological and Behavioural Sciences (PBS) Reading List If you are interested in Psychology, Oxford offers the Psychology... Read more >
- Medicine, Maths, and Economics Puzzles We asked three of our top Medicine, Maths, and... Read more >
- Download a Law Personal Statement “Participating in a Citizenship Foundation Mock Trial Competition during Year... Read more >
- TSA Cambridge Example Questions and Answers If you have completed the TSA Cambridge course report and are... Read more >
- Using stats: dos and don’ts When making an application, you must be careful about using... Read more >
- Biological Sciences & Medicine: answer like a pro What kind of questions can you expect in an Oxford... Read more >
- Funding Your Oxbridge Degree Many people are under the impression that it is more... Read more >
- Oxford and Cambridge International Grade Requirements If you’re applying to Cambridge or Oxford but you’ve not... Read more >
- Medical & Biological Sciences Reading Lists Medicine and the whole range of Biological Sciences are highly... Read more >
- The Differences Between Similar Courses At Oxford and Cambridge For some applicants, deciding between applying to Oxford or Cambridge... Read more >
- Access and Financial Support at Oxbridge As two of the world’s top universities, both Oxford and... Read more >
- PAT mini mock paper & answers The Physics Aptitude Test or PAT is required by Oxford... Read more >
- BMAT overview & tips If you’re applying for Medicine, Biomedical Sciences or Veterinary Medicine you... Read more >
- Choosing a course From Arch and Anth to Veterinary Medicine, the range of... Read more >