Once the Romans took control of conquered territories, everyday life for local populations changed significantly. Alongside new settlement patterns and the introduction of new goods and cultural influences, social structures also shifted, creating new opportunities for social advancement for some individuals. As part of the public evening lecture “Social Mobility – Insights from Archaeological Evidence in the Western Roman Empire,” taking place

on Monday, June 1, at 7 p.m.
at the Frankfurt Archaeological Museum
Karmelitergasse 1, 60311 Frankfurt,

classical archaeologist Henner von Hesberg will discuss how processes of social advancement are reflected in surviving monuments. Hesberg served for many years as Director of the German Archaeological Institute Rome.

As Roman rule expanded, established elites were forced to reposition themselves while new elites emerged. The granting of citizenship and growing economic networks also opened up opportunities for upward mobility among lower social groups, including through military service. New Mediterranean media – images, writing, and architecture – created additional ways of displaying social status, particularly in the northern provinces. These developments are especially visible in funerary and dedicatory monuments, but also in domestic interiors.

The topic is at the center of the international conference “Social Mobility,” where von Hesberg will deliver the keynote lecture. Organized by Goethe University’s Institute for Archaeological Sciences and taking place from June 1 to June 7, the conference marks the 19th Colloquium on Roman Provincial Art. The series focuses on stone monuments from the Roman provinces and ranks among the field’s leading international academic events. Cooperation partners include the Frankfurt Archaeological Museum, the Romano-Germanic Commission of the German Archaeological Institute, the Leibniz Centre for Archaeology in Mainz, and the Saalburg Roman Fort.


Registration (requested): Crpa2026@em.uni-frankfurt.de

Media representatives are warmly invited to attend the entire conference. We kindly ask you to register at Crpa2026@em.uni-frankfurt.de