ELITES IN CAMPANIA

In this book Wojciech Pietruszka fills this void by offering a broad insight into the socio-economic aspects of the Campanian municipal elites during the Antonine-Severan period.

The study focuses on several key issues, which include the general condition of Campania (emphasising the effect that events such as the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 CE and the Antonine plague had on the region), the income and expenditure of the municipal elites (both private financial affairs and public acts of euergetism), the composition of city councils, the role and position of Augustales, and the importance of Campanian equites and senators.

Bearing in mind that the whole area of Campania was quite diverse, the author divides Campania into three zones - coastal, central and the foothill regions - which enables him to analyse how the geographical location (the place of living) and its distance from both the 'centre' and the important trade routes influenced the way the municipal elites functioned.