Hasmonean dining practices in the context of the Greco-Roman Mediterranean : a cross-cultural analysis

Abstract

The Mediterranean consists of multiple cultures constantly interacting with each other. In this dissertation, the nature of these cultural exchanges is explored through the development of elite dining practices. Food and foodways are ever-present agents which aid in our understanding of the way cultures respond to the influx of novel ideas and customs. Given that food is a principal expression of identity, transformations in elite dining habits shed light on the negotiation of identity as a result of cultural encounters. This theme is investigated in the context of Palestine during the Hasmonean period. Through a cross-cultural archaeological analysis of the pertinent dining settings and vessels associated with convivial consumption, the negotiated identity of the Hasmoneans in response to the Hellenizing and Romanizing banqueting trends of the time is elucidated. This research is incorporated into various theoretical frameworks which help to elucidate the process of this cultural entanglement. This case study based on the Jewish aristocratic dining settings and feasting in the Greco-Roman world provides a window onto the wide-ranging cultural interactions between distinct Mediterranean societies. This dissertation seeks to unravel the correlation between the ‘local’ and the ‘global’ and the constantly changing identities within the region.