Global and Local Cultures in the Roman East An Introduction

Abstract

Globalization has linked distant and distinct societies and intensified social relations and transactions among them. The spread of Roman imperial rule offers an interesting parallel to modern globalization. In both cases, scholars have long been debating the consequences of this process; while many members of society can benefit from new cultural, social, and economic opportunities, it is also claimed that the exposure to global culture can undermine local identities and produce a sense of isolation and antagonism. The articles in this special issue examine various outcomes of the extension of Roman rule in the eastern Mediterranean from the early Roman to the early Islamic period. The contributors, representing classical studies, archeology, history, early Christian studies, and Islamic studies, offer case studies that investigate how the introduction of Greco-Roman culture to the East changed local cultures and resulted in multicultural innovations and reinvented identities.