Konrad B Hughes

Visual imagery set in stone begins and ends our story of the Germani corporis custodes of the Early Roman Empire. At a possible height of their prestige and politico-military power under the turbulent rule of Marcus Aurelius, the third iteration of the mounted Germanic bodyguards, the equites singulars Augusti would have left their elite military camp near the Caelian Hill in Rome (the campus primus) and immediately seen a large statue of their emperor mounted on a horse saluting them (Figure 1).1 This respect given to a distinctly foreign unit within the Roman military in the capital of the empire is significant and repeated, though not continuous, showing that in certain circumstances, especially in an imperial bodyguard, the emperor needed a mobile elite armed force from outside his own culture to add a level of security to his rule. By incorporating historical, textual, engraved, numismatic and archaeological elements of the study of the different iterations of Germanic mounted bodyguards. From the Germani corporis custodes Caesaris of Julius Caesar to the Julio-Claudian numerus Batavorum mounted bodyguard and the auxiliary Batavian cohorts to the equites singulares Augusti of the Antonine and Severan Dynasties through the end of the Tetrarchy, several forms of Germani corporis custodes arise.

The goal of this paper is to display the journey of the crossbow fibulae styles through a plethora of cultures raging across Europe from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean from the Late Bronze Age (1000 BCE) through the Migration Period of Late Antiquity (ending in 650 CE). Though the designs and creation of this style of brooch vary greatly from time period to time period, a vein of continuity in their form can be traced through over fifteen hundred years of manufacture. By comparing the assemblage of crossbow and crossbow-derivative fibulae in the Museum of Art and Architecture (MAA) of the University of Missouri with others now held in a variety of contexts, we can create a map of the movement of this style of brooch through both time and space.
Potentially, this survey of nine items from the MAA collection could become an outline for a museum exhibit displaying all nine of the items we will discuss as well as some of those referenced within this paper, which would need to be borrowed from other museums. By showing the pattern of movement of this style through different cultures via time and space, we can see the fluidity in artistic craftsmanship which permeates the cultures of Classical and Late Antiquity. Though new ideas are generally considered to come from the Mediterranean region or further east, through this study, we will also observe several occasions where the “barbarian”, or periphery, crafting culture influenced the Greco-Roman, or central, forms in art during this period.

This paper will synthesize some of the multifaceted arguments about Bronze Age amber finds and trade networks connecting the Baltic and Aegean Sea regions. Bronze Age trade networks were far more complex than previously thought, as recent archaeological discoveries have proven. The items found at the excavations at Bernstorf, Bavaria are paramount in understanding the significance of this complexity, as they show deep political and cultic connections between the elites of Mycenaean Greece and Central Europe. From the amber seal stone incised with Linear B, Object B, to the golden diadem, scepter, and jewelry of Mycenaean origin found at Bernstorf, we can extrapolate many elements of these pre-history societies. By investigating the amber finds in Greece, the distribution of certain swords types across Europe, and the gold and amber items found at Bernstorf, the long distance trade relation of the Late Bronze Age can be directly linked to prestige gift-exchange of amber between chiefly rulers, as it had not only a high value in trade but also social status and ritual properties.  These exotic prestige items, along with the Naue II swords and their precursors, were highly desirable for both Nordic and Central European chieftains as well as for Mycenaean rulers with the intent of linking themselves with the wider network of ideas and technologies of the societies of Europe in this era.

Intertwining the archaeological and historical evidences, this thesis takes an interdisciplinary approach to discuss the "Rus at Ingelheim" from the Frankish Annales Bertiniani and the seals of Byzantine patrikos Theodosios, which were found in Northern Europe, searching for the origins of the Rus in the multicultural mosaic of peoples in Central Eurasia in the early 9th century.

Several avenues of investigation must be applied to better understand the relationship between the multicultural merchants and mercenaries identified as the Rus, or Varangians, and the Khazar Khaganate during the ninth century CE. Silver dirham coins, minted by the Abbasid Caliphate and imitated by others, were the lifeblood of trade between the Baltic and Black Sea regions. This exchange of silver coins for chiefly slaves and furs was facilitated by both far traveling Jewish merchants and the earliest Rus, who had Scandinavia, Slavic, Baltic, and Finno-Ugric ethnic and linguistic origins. Numismatic and archaeological evidence points to increasing influences between the Baltic Sea region and the East, especially in trade emporia, during the ninth and tenth centuries. With this trade, by the end of the ninth century the earliest Rus' dynasty, now known as the Rurikids, was able to expand its power to the trading center of Bulgar, modern Kazan in Russia at the edge of the Khazar Khaganate. By adapting the iconic imagery of the Khazar ruling dynasty, the tamga, into Rus' symbolism, the bident and trident "sign of Rurik," the early Rus' solidified their ruler over formerly vassalized groups by the Khazar Khaganate in the tenth century when the steppe khaganate began to wane in power. By following the story told by imitated and altered coins, the influences on the earliest Varangian-Rus culture become more evident.

This paper discusses the roles of Wepwawet and other jackal deities in ancient Egyptian religion. Wepwawet serves to both send enemies into the underworld as a man and rebirth the Pharaoh as his son in a woman's role. These transgender abilities of jackal deities date back to the earliest patterns of Egyptian proto-religion to the Middle Kingdom.

A world centered upon the Nile, the singular source of life for ancient Egyptians, surrounded by uninhabitable desert, is destined to have a religion which reflects such order. Stephen Quirke in his book attempts to trace to relationships between the culture and religion of the ancient Egyptians, taking his readers on a journey through the past. However, his own organization to this complex subject could have used more crafting. With few chapters, no sections within those chapters, and no comprehensive listings, such as the intricate relationships of the Gods and Goddesses to one another, the reader can easily become lost in the plethora of deities and their myths, if they are not careful or already knowledgeable of the subject. With a brief conclusion only covering the Egyptian deities outside of Egypt, the reader finishes the book forgetful of what Quirke’s point was in writing it. Though the book is lacking in certain areas, overall, he does cover the intended information quite fully, providing a thorough view into the known religious practices of Egyptians throughout the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms, using analyzation of both texts and images.

In his book " Viking Rus: Studies on the presence of Scandinavians in Eastern Europe " Waldyslaw Duczko examines the material evidence of Norse culture refuting the many literary misconceptions and conceits which have dominated cultural sensitivities for generations. The Norse presence in the East, though debated by some, is undeniable from an archaeological approach that examines the evidence from the 8 th through the 11 th centuries. The burial grounds and settlements which have been excavated reveal a host of objects unique to Norse culture, especially those with analogies or exact copies found in Scandinavia. The literary myths which have survived paint a picture of a Russian state emerging from a Viking hostile takeover of the region from Slavic tribesmen; however, the archaeology tells a different tale. Where charismatic heroes fill the pages of The Primary Chronicle, grave sites contain evidence of a rich mixture of cultures between the Norse and a mosaic of indigenous populations. Using material evidence Duczko picks apart the literary sources, validating certain contentious issues and eviscerating others. Many of the Norsemen who came East with their families to stay were drawn by trade, not plunder. Retaining their contacts with their homeland, these entrepreneurial Vikings were able to preserve part of their Norse culture while mingling with those surrounding them.

For this project, I have chosen to use photogrammetry and 3D modeling (Metashape) to portray the bronze statue of "Young Herakles" from the Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen in a rendering of a scene (Blender) reminiscent of a Roman villa. This statue is not very well researched or represented in the scholarship, so it is a great example of the potential of digital archaeology and heritage management to bring a somewhat forgotten work from the past back to life. I also chose this statue because of the limitations of the equipment I had available. As my camera has a clipped frame and fixed lens, I needed to find a statue that I could get several meters away from to acquire full-body images. Thankfully, the Glyptotek currently has the "Young Herakles" statue in the middle of a large round chamber in their Greek and Roman exhibition area. However, he stands on a tall pedestal that places its head over two meters in height, so it was difficult to obtain photos of the top of its head. Despite these limitations, the project was a success.

In the weeks before the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, I wrote this paper for an Ethics in Archaeology class at Lunds Universitet. Somehow, predicting the rhetoric and barbarity of Putin's regime, I now would like to make this piece public so that others can better understand the historical fallacies being used to support Russian aggression. (13-1-2022)

This paper discusses the rhetoric of historians and orators as they describe nobles who have gone rebel, from Polycrates to Sextus Pompey. Focusing on the characters of Alcibiades and Catiline, correlations are drawn to their characters, however history remembers these men very differently. They both resort to the use of force and violence, and sometimes outright piracy, to gain their political means, but Cicero begins a tradition of vilifying rebel nobles which persists for centuries.

This paper discusses the syncretism of Heracles by Hannibal Barca during the Second Punic War in Magna Graecia. By portraying himself in the image of the god, Heracles, Hannibal attempted to pull Roman allies to his side with religious propaganda, which Scipio then usurped in his victory over Hannibal at the end of the war. Hannibal is left with only a shadow of his true form imprinted upon history.

Cities of antiquity almost always have a mythological story connected to them, though much of the time they have little historical evidence to support their claims. Carthage’s foundation myth detailed Virgil’s Aeneid is a story of love and deception,  but it has little basis in truth. However, there are fragments of Carthage’s true origin hidden in Virgil’s interpretation, which one can uncover by tracing the myth’s origins into historical narratives and synthesizing the archaeological evidence with the literary information. While the poetic sources and some historical sources , place the founding of the “New City” near the Trojan War, historical tradition places Carthage’s founding near 813 BC . In addition, the archaeological evidences conflict with the historical narrative over the last century, with the exploration of North Africa’s archaeological sites, leading most scholars to point to a date closer to 750 BC as the city’s founding date . However, recent discoveries at Carthage might lead scholars to begin to reconsider their hypotheses.

In this project I will examine the extensively analyzed Islamic dirhams found in buried hoards and burial contexts of the Baltic Sea coastal areas and Northern Russia. These dirhams have been thoroughly research by many prominent scholars in the fields of Numismatics and Scandinavia-Rus Archaeology; however, they have yet to be examined with the lens of art history. Many times, coin analysis is overlooked in the world of early Medieval art history, as there are a host of more magnificent items to be found in this context. By examining these dirhams, which were minted in Iran, Iraq, and Egypt, but found in the far North of Europe, I seek an understanding of the cultural context of keeping such items intact, or nearly so, for later use. They could easily have all been melted down for culturally relevant usage, but are found both intact buried in hoards and converted into amulet talismans by the Scandinavians and Rus. The coins were altered in imagery at times, by being inscribed with Thor’s hammers, Rurikid tridents and eventually, Christian crosses. These coins were a key element in the trade relations between North and South along the rivers of modern Russia and Ukraine during the 9th and 10th centuries, sometimes having an equal value to a single martin pelt by Volga-Bulgars along the way. Archaeologists and Numismatic specialists have done much to codify the context and trace the routes of these coins, but it is now time for them to find their place within art historians’ scope of analysis, as their temporal and spatial orientation to the current trends in politics and migrations in Northern Europe have begun to reflect these Medieval items in intriguing ways. If properly framed, I believe bridges between the Muslim populations, who have recently migrated to these areas, and the local residents can be built with a new diachronic understanding of one another.

This paper will synthesize some of the multifaceted arguments about Bronze Age amber finds and trade networks connecting the Baltic and Aegean Sea regions. Bronze Age trade networks were far more complex than previously thought, as recent archaeological discoveries have proven. The items found at the excavations at Bernstorf, Bavaria are paramount in understanding the significance of this complexity, as they show deep political and cultic connections between the elites of Mycenaean Greece and Central Europe. From the amber seal stone incised with Linear B, Object B, to the golden diadem, scepter, and jewelry of Mycenaean origin found at Bernstorf, we can extrapolate many elements of these pre-history societies. By investigating the amber finds in Greece, the distribution of certain swords types across Europe, and the gold and amber items found at Bernstorf, the long distance trade relation of the Late Bronze Age can be directly linked to prestige gift-exchange of amber between chiefly rulers, as it had not only a high value in trade but also social status and ritual properties.  These exotic prestige items, along with the Naue II swords and their precursors, were highly desirable for both Nordic and Central European chieftains as well as for Mycenaean rulers with the intent of linking themselves with the wider network of ideas and technologies of the societies of Europe in this era.

https://youtu.be/46fsh-0qoQw

This is a presentation by Konrad Bennett Hughes which synthesizes some of the complex arguments about Bronze Age amber finds and the trade networks connecting the Baltic and Aegean Sea regions. This presentation was exhibited over a Zoom video conference call for Ancient Mediterranean Studies 7320 at the University of Missouri (I am sorry that the call boxes cover some of the maps legend's during recording). Comments and questions from classmates are included at the end of the presentation.

https://youtu.be/5jKkBonZBho

This presentation on the possibility of a Rus Khagante before the calling of the Varangians was exhibited in 2019 at HURC in the HERC at the University of Memphis. Spanning a vast swath of Eurasia, the merchants and mercenaries of the early 9th century CE created a trade network spanning through Sweden, the Baltic coast, Russia, Ukraine, and all the way to Baghdad.
Some of the theories I propose in this presentation are a little dated, as I now have a more clear grasp of the archaeology, however, in its entirety, this presentation outlines the major issues in the field. My senior thesis paper "Seals in Strange Places" which synthesizes these arguments more clearly, is here: https://www.academia.edu/40187247/Seals_in_Strange_Places

And my book review of the major work of reference "Viking Rus: Studies on the presence of Scandinavians in Eastern Europe" by Waldyslaw Duczko can be found here: https://www.academia.edu/37755002/Viking_Rus_Studies_on_the_presence_of_Scandinavians_in_Eastern_Europe_by_Waldyslaw_Duczko_Review_by_Konrad_Hughes_

Leaving behind the traditional sphere of “the Middle Ages,” this paper will examine the blending of shamanic and monotheistic religions’ practices in the Khazar Khaganate from 700-1000 CE. The Khazars moved into Eastern Europe in the eighth century bringing with them a mix of shamanic and monotheistic beliefs in Tengrism, which holds the sky-god Tengri over all other spirits or deities. This blending of thought did not end when they began to incorporate themselves into the political and economic sphere of Europe though, as a portion of their nobility then converted to Judaism in the late eighth or early ninth century due to the influence of Jewish refugees from the Byzantine Empire and far traveling merchants called the Radhanites. To understand this intriguing chain of events and their impact upon the medieval world, I will present textual and material evidence spanning from the Tang Dynasty in China to the Caliphate of Córdoba in Spain. By interposing this evidence atop that of anthropological studies done on modern peoples with shamanic practices, the phenomena of conversion and syncretism becomes clearer, as the divisions between cultures and religious beliefs can begin to be disassembled. Taking an interdisciplinary approach to my research, I hope that it can bridge the gap between the modern and medieval as the practices of the past reveal so much about our world today, as well as provide a guidepost for multi-religious and multi-ethnic stability.

To better interpret the medieval world in a digital age, I propose that certain historically based video games be used within the university classroom. Games such as Age of Empires II and Medieval II Total War helped to shape my own conceptualizations of the medieval past and piqued my interest in historical studies at a young age. The gamification of historical studies can be used in two distinct ways within universities. Firstly, to draw undergraduate students into the field of historical studies. In the digital age with which we live departments in ancient and medieval studies need to begin to develop new ways to entice perspective students. By incorporating gamification, students will have a more immersive learning experience, as video games help to lend a different kind of significance to historical settings. However, using video games to teach is only the beginning of such a project, as the alteration and expansion of these historically based games could be beneficial on a graduate student level also. The basic game for any of the Total War series has a gloss of historical accuracy, but by “modding” the code, editing the content of the basic game, graduate students could create new, historically accurate additions to the content while exploring the medieval world digitally. Combining the work of archaeologist, geographers, philologists, and historians with that of computer science students, I believe that a new path toward digital education by immersion into a setting of the past can be pioneered. In the future, I hope to teach courses with this method of immersive gamification in historical studies, but I hope that professors will begin to realize the benefits of integrating the digital world into our study of the distant past.

The strange births of Ivar the “Boneless” and Sigurd “Snake-in-the-eye” to Aslaug and Ragnar from the Saga of Ragnar Lothbrok exemplify prophetic and deformed births of mythological figures throughout the ancient and medieval worlds. Both sons are cursed from birth, but also blessed. Aslaug’s affinity for prophesy and level-headed wisdom combined with Ragnar’s strength of arms and quickness of wit produce two children who both have deformities but also prove to be formidable warriors and leaders in the saga (Crawford, 2017). Both sons share their parents’ formidable powers of the mind and body. Ivar, though lacking the use of his “boneless” legs, proves to be both an able military commander and bowman, while Sigurd at the age of three has the wisdom to assess complex situations as well as the prophetic powers of his mother. From Ragnar and Aslaug’s first meeting, themes of prophesy and predilection pervade the saga narrative. By comparing these two heroes with other mythological tales of deformity and abnormal childhood, such as the Greek god Hephaestus, the handicapped Argonaut Palaimonios, and the Irish hero Cian, I will show how the corresponding connections of many ancient and medieval myths apply to the bond between birth, deformity, and wisdom of both the magical and mundane kinds. By investigating this specific episode from the Norse sagas, the attitude of ancient Scandinavians toward children of unusual talents becomes illuminated, as well as the multitude of similarities across Indo-European mythology.

To better understand the multicultural nature of the early Medieval Rus (c. 800-1000 CE) the plethora of influences which conglomerated in order to make this polity must be traced and analyzed. Where the general consensus of scholars has split between Nordic and Slavic influences forming the Rus culture, many other peoples also contributed to its creation, including the Finno-Ugric cultural groups, the Romano-Byzantine Empire, the Muslim Caliphates, and the Khazar Khaganate. The influence of these steppe nomads, the latter, is not only important but essential in understanding the formation of the Rus’s first polities in locations such as Kiev, Staraja Ladoga, and the Volga River region. This paper will guide Medieval scholars down the rivers of Russia in a journey of ninth century exploration into the material cultures and historical evidences which come together in early Russia Studies, as well as reveal several overlooked aspects of cultural agglomeration, including the Islamic silver trade, Khaganate ruling tendencies, and steppe nomad tactical warfare. Within a few generations of their first mention in the Annals of St. Bertin (c. 839), where they are said to look like Swedes, the Rus evolved into horsewarriors with a proclivity towards imperial aspirations in Sviatovlav I (c. 943-972). The cultural miasma in which these changes took place deserves to be investigated more fully, especially in the current times of racial and cultural tensions, so that scholars and their students can better understand the complexity of the birth of a new culture out of a sea of others.