Transgression and Deviance in the Ancient World

Social coexistence is made possible and regulated by norms. Which actions are labeled and sanctioned as transgressions of norms is the result of social negotiation processes.  Transgression and norm deviance can both stabilize and undermine the existing norm system. The contributions to this anthology aim to provide some impulses on the relationship between norm and deviance in ancient societies by means of selected case studies from the Greek classical period to the Roman imperial period and to investigate the role of transgressive acts for the dynamics of social systems. In 8 contributions, among others on the cult of Artemis, on the tragedian Agathon, on Cicero, Lucan and Tacitus, the topic is treated in a model-like manner.

Lennart Gilhaus is an academic councilor in the Department of Ancient History at the Rheinsiche Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. He currently holds a DFG research fellowship at the Universiteit Utrecht.

Anja Dorn is a doctoral candidate and research assistant at the Institute of History at the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Imogen Herrad is a lecturer and translator at the Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies.

Michael Meurer is a fellow in the Franco-German Research Training Group 'Mass and Integration in Ancient Societies' at the Universities of Bonn and Strasbourg.