Grave Robbing in Ancient Rome and Beyond

Tomb plundering not only occurs in modern times, but already in ancient Greece and Rome tombs fell victim to subsequent unwanted intrusions. This is evidenced not only by literary sources, epigraphic and legal documents, but also by excavations in Greek or Roman burial contexts. How such taphonomic processes are to be interpreted from a revised methodological perspective, what such post-burial disturbances entailed within very different socio-historical contexts in the ancient or even the post-antique world, has hardly been adequately explored for Greek or Roman burials. The primary aim of this conference volume is therefore to examine the phenomenon of tomb plundering and associated post-burial disturbances from a very broad interdisciplinary perspective. By exploring for the first time the very different sources (archaeological, epigraphical, literary, and legal evidence), the volume aims to shed light on new methodological approaches for understanding the phenomenon of tomb plundering and associated post-burial disturbances in Greece and Rome, the possible actors behind these acts, and the various historical circumstances associated with these violations.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 3111343448
• ISBN13: 9783111343440
• Release Date: November 2026
• Publisher: de Gruyter
• Length: 330 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.