Abstract

Horticulture had a clear cultural role in the Roman world. In the late Republic in particular, it was used to construct the public persona of many elite Romans. Introducing new plants from far away regions or developing new fruit varieties became part of the competitive display in which the upper classes engaged. Ancient texts tell of prominent figures, such as L. Lucullus and Cn. Pompeius, introducing into Italy new fruit trees, personally engaging in grafting, and creating lavish suburban gardens. Exotic plants were also displayed as trophies in the military triumphs, the plant being at once a symbol of a newly conquered region and, in the case of valuable plants, an indicator of the revenues now under Roman control. However, there was also an economic dimension in importing new pants and grafting new fruit varieties to grow on one’s estates.
This talk will explore these themes, bringing together the ideological and symbolic dimension present in the literary text with recent archaeological discoveries.