A Roman tombstone from the border town of Intercisa, Hungary, on the Danube preserves the portraits of a man, his wife, and four children. Clad in voluminous drapery, and confronting the viewer in the rough-hewn style that was favored in many Roman provinces, this stone portrait bears many features that make it recognizably Roman. Yet the bared breast of the wife who prepares to feed her baby is almost unique. This talk explores the cultural significance of this gesture and the insight it gives into the complex cultural commitments of this border region, where Syrian diaspora soldiers shared life with a local Pannonian population. Here we see individuals navigating each of these cultures while further considering what it meant to them to also be Roman.

Kelsey Museum Flash Talks are 15-minute Zoom lectures by Kelsey curators, staff members, U-M researchers, professors, graduate students, or guests talking about their recent research or current projects. Each presentation is followed by 15 minutes of Q&A. Flash Talks are free and open to all visitors. They take place at noon on the first Friday of every month.

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