Overview
Pisciculture - the process of raising fish--held a lasting fascination for the people of ancient Rome. Whether bred for household consumption, cultivated for sale at market, or simply kept in confinement for reasons of aesthetic appreciation, fish remained an important commodity and prominent cultural symbol throughout the periods of the Roman Republic and early Empire. Roman pisciculture reached its greatest level of sophistication, though, between the first century b.c. and the first century a.d. with the development of a highly specialized architectural element: the piscina, or artificial fishpond. Based on a thorough examination of the archaeological record and complemented by site plans, maps, and photographs, James Higginbotham's work represents the most comprehensive study of the fishponds of Roman Italy. Higginbotham covers the technical aspects of Roman fishponds--their design, construction, and operation--and places the piscinae within their social, political, and economic context. He argues that in a society fascinated by pisciculture, ownership of a fishpond was a powerful display of wealth and social status and, ultimately, a manifestation of the intense competition between aristocratic Roman families that would eventually lead to civil war. UNC Press Enduring Editions use the latest in digital technology to make available again books from our distinguished backlist that were previously out of print. These editions are published unaltered from the original, and are presented in affordable paperback formats, bringing readers both historical and cultural value.
Full Product Details
Author: James Higginbotham
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Imprint: The University of North Carolina Press
Edition: New edition
Dimensions:
Width: 15.40cm
, Height: 2.20cm
, Length: 23.10cm
Weight: 0.456kg
ISBN: 9780807836040
ISBN 10: 0807836044
Pages: 312
Publication Date: 30 September 2012
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Manufactured on demand
We will order this item for you from a manufactured on demand supplier.
Reviews
Brings together an impressive array of literary and archaeological material and constitutes the definitive study of this unique architectural form in Roman Italy. The University of North Carolina Press has produced a handsome and copiously illustrated volume. -- American Journal of Archaeology
“Brings together an impressive array of literary and archaeological material and constitutes the definitive study of this unique architectural form in Roman Italy. The University of North Carolina Press has produced a handsome and copiously illustrated volume.” - American Journal of Archaeology
Author Information
James Higginbotham is assistant professor of classical archaeology at Bowdoin College.
