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The Hypogeum of the Aurelii: A new interpretation as the collegiate tomb of professional scribae' examines the frescoes of one of the most enigmatic funerary monuments of ancient Rome. The three chambers of the Hypogeum of the Aurelii, so-named from an mosaic inscription in one of the surviving chambers, contain a varied series of images that have long been considered an example of early Christian or Gnostic iconography. One hundred years after the monument’s discovery Dr Bradley challenges earlier theories and concludes that far from having religious significance the pictures reveal a world of professional pride among a group of what we might today call ‘white collar workers’. Although not among the rich and famous of Imperial Rome, the deceased nevertheless rose from a state of slavery to positions within the bureaucracy at the centre of an empire at its height. Although part of a strictly hierarchical, and male-dominated, society the community to which the Aurelii belonged provided an environment of comparative equality: a community that acknowledged the contribution and expertise of both women and children in their profession. The pride in their achievement is reflected in the decoration of the tomb in which they expected to spend eternity. This study, the first in modern times to examine all the extant images in detail, will be of interest, not only to historians of ancient Roman art, but also to social historians who wish to more fully understand the lives of those who helped support the running of an empire.

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9781789690477

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JOHN W. BRADLEY was born in Birmingham in 1956. He graduated with a degree in Construction and Economics before embarking on a thirty year career in the construction industry primarily in London and the Middle East. During the 1990s he was also involved in environmental politics using his background in industry to challenge the conventional rationale behind many of today’s political and economic decisions. Changing profession in 2005 Dr Bradley gained a first-class degree and Masters in Classics at Royal Holloway College, University of London with dissertations on early Christian art and republican Roman religion. In 2011 he commenced his PhD at the same college, initially under the supervision of Professor Amanda Claridge then Dr Zena Kamash. An initial project on the broader aspects of the evolution of art in the catacombs of Rome ultimately focused on the frescoes that make up the subject of this book when existing theories and explanations appeared unsatisfactory. In addition to his interest in the art of ancient Rome his interests include classical music, military history and environmentalism. He has lived in Brentford, west London for thirty years where he shares a home and allotment with his wife Susan.

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