Winter semester 2016/17

• Imperial priestesses in the east of the Roman Empire

 Prof. Dr. Babett Edelmann-Singer

On Tuesday, December 6, the ancient historian Prof. Dr. Babett Edelmann-Singer will give a lecture on imperial priestesses in the east of the Roman Empire. The event of the Department of  Ancient History begins at 6 p.m. c.t. in the main wing of Osnabrück Castle, Room 11/211, Neuer Graben, 49074 Osnabrück. Guests are welcome, admission is free.

The question of the function, title, social role and status of female imperial priests has caused some controversy in research. The province of Asia in present-day Turkey in particular has attracted a great deal of attention because it provides a rich fund of inscriptions. The lecture will present new inscriptions and archaeological finds from the area of the imperial cult. It will show that it is important to view the eastern provinces in context and to understand the imperial priestesses as part of the provincial elite.

The speaker, Prof. Dr. Babett Edelmann-Singer, is a visiting professor at Osnabrück University. Her research focuses on ancient religious history, the imperial cult and gender history and her lecture will combine these different specialist areas.