Carving a Professional Identity: The Occupational Epigraphy of the Roman Latin West

Rada Varga is a researcher at Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca (Romania) specialising in Latin epigraphy, digital classics, prosopography and provincial archaeology (co-directing the excavations at the fortress of ala I milliaria Batavorum from Dacia). Her main project is Romans1by1, a prosopographical database for people attested in ancient epigraphy. Currently, Dr Varga is a member of the executive committee of EADH (The European Association for Digital Humanities).

• I. Introductory notes ; II. Historiographic coordinates for Roman-era occupational epigraphy ; Professions, occupations and Roman economy ; Ancient middle classes ; Historiographic outline ; III. Quantitative analyses on the primary data ; Demography and representativeness ; Encoding the attested occupations ; Space and time ; People and monuments ; IV. People and professional identities ; Tales of trade and friendship ; Doctors – the healing science ; Crafting for a living ; Entertaining the masses ; Case study: local identities ; V. Concluding remarks ; Index ; Glossary ; Catalogue ; References ; Abbreviations used in the catalogue

‘As the author says, the data in this book is meant to constitute «an instrument for further research» (1), «a solid starting point for future examinations of the Roman provincial professions and professionals» (3). This the volume certainly does provide, and for this thanks are offered to Rada Varga and, behind her, the entire R1by1 team.’ – Elizabeth A. Meyer (2023): GNOMON 95, nr. 7