Papers by Konrad B Hughes
Visual imagery set in stone begins and ends our story of the Germani corporis custodes of the Ear... more 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 plethor... more 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 tr... more 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 ... more 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.
Chronika Journal, 2021
Several avenues of investigation must be applied to better understand the relationship between th... more 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.... more 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.
Book Reviews by Konrad B Hughes
A gripping recreation of a doomed rebellion
A world centered upon the Nile, the singular source of life for ancient Egyptians, surrounded by ... more 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 ... more 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.
Teaching Documents by Konrad B Hughes
Through an analysis of The Rule of Saint Benedict, I present a parable through the eyes of one of... more Through an analysis of The Rule of Saint Benedict, I present a parable through the eyes of one of the monks.
A Mock- speech by Alcibiades at Sparta if he had recently returned from being wounded at Potidaea.
Drafts by Konrad B Hughes
For this project, I have chosen to use photogrammetry and 3D modeling (Metashape) to portray the ... more 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 ... more 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... more 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 ... more 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... more 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.
Short Analysis of Appian Punic Wars 131
An Short Analysis of Thucydides 6.34.2
This work analyzes the Roman playwright Plautus' plays in a historical context
Contradictions abound in the arguments over pirates in the ancient world. The Cilicians played an... more Contradictions abound in the arguments over pirates in the ancient world. The Cilicians played an interesting place within Roman politics.
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Papers by Konrad B Hughes
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.
Book Reviews by Konrad B Hughes
Teaching Documents by Konrad B Hughes
Drafts by Konrad B Hughes
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 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.
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_