Classical Studies

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This is the collection for the University of Waterloo's Department of Classical Studies.

Research outputs are organized by type (eg. Master Thesis, Article, Conference Paper).

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Now showing 1 - 5 of 5

Celtic, Roman, and Everything in Between: The Evolution of the Sacred in Romano-Celtic Wales
(University of Waterloo, 2021-08-26) Pritchard, Mackenzie Dinelle; Porreca, David
Celtic religion is usually summarized with a quick discussion of druidic practices and human sacrifice. The actual ancient religion of the Insular Celtic populations was a lot more complicated. This thesis introduces the ancient Celtic religion practiced in Wales and discusses how the cultures of the Celtic and the Roman peoples interacted during their co-occupation of the British Isles, with emphasis on the evolution of the beliefs and practices which were considered sacred to those inhabiting the land. The syncretism of Celtic and Roman religious activity (beginning in 43 BCE until the arrival of Christianity around 200 CE) is difficult to separate in some instances because of the substantial similarities in the practices and beliefs. Hybridity of the sacred in ancient Wales can be seen in the historical written records of the Roman peoples, the archaeological evidence remaining in Britain, and in the socio-cultural outcomes which can be seen in the written medieval Welsh chwedlau (tales). While the Roman authors generally speak on the druids, the philosophical beliefs, and sacred practices of the Celtic peoples, the archaeological finds and epigraphic evidence provide more insight into the deities worshipped in Britain by both Roman and Celtic individuals, as well as some cultic customs. Later works, written by Welsh scribes, reveal (traditionally oral) mythologies and their portrayal on topics such as Celtic deities, the Otherworld and its inhabitants, and various Celtic festivals. The findings of this thesis have concluded that the practices of the Roman people did not displace those of the Celts completely but that the cultural and sacred practices of the Celts were integrated into the traditions of the Romans.
The Conversion of the Anglo-Saxon Laity, 597-798
(University of Waterloo, 2021-04-30) Tardif, Jordan; Porreca, David
Conversion in the middle ages was driven by many factors depending on the time and place the conversion was occurring. This is often wrongly summarized by explaining that once a king converted his subjects would follow suit. This paper explores how the conversion process took place throughout Anglo-Saxon England and shows that while a king’s conversion certainly aided the process of converting the kingdom, it was not the sole deciding factor. In order to accomplish this, the study analyzes both the traditional sources, Bede’s Historia Ecclesiastica and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which focus on the royalty and kings. In addition to these traditional sources, this study also uses material such as hagiographies, poetry, arts, and human remains in order to gain a broader perspective on the conversion effort than that conveyed in the traditional written sources. By analyzing these additional sources, this paper shows that the conversion process was highly complex as it sought to adapt and adjust Christian practices and teachings to make sense within the Anglo-Saxon cultural framework.
Gesta Principium: A Study of the Frankish and Turkic-Syrian Field Armies at the Battle of Dorylaeum, 1097 AD
(University of Waterloo, 2022-01-19) del Rosso, Peter; Porreca, David
The purpose of this study is to showcase the Battle of Dorylaeum, fought between the Frankish invading forces of the First Crusade and the defending Turkic-Syrian armies of late eleventh-century Anatolia, as a military engagement between these two factions which outlines the unfamiliar nature of their styles of combat. After providing a brief history of the First Crusade in Chapter One, as well as outlining several key military engagements leading up to Dorylaeum itself, Chapter Two delves into a military-analytical study of Dorylaeum, outlining the favoured battle tactics of both Frankish and Turkic-Syrian field armies at maximal strengths and using examples from the Battle of Dorylaeum itself. A secondary study, the observation and survey of troop numbers present at the engagement as put forward by both primary and secondary sources, is conducted in an attached Appendix.
The Refutation of Magic in the Dərsanat of Zärʾa Yaʿəqob
(University of Waterloo, 2017-05-15) Dickinson, Shawn Michael Augustine; Porreca, David
The 15th century Ethiopian Emperor Zärʾa Yaʿəqob (r. 1434-1468) is perhaps the most influential figure in the almost 1700 year history of the Ethiopian Church. One would be hard-pressed to name an individual who can match the amount of reforms, innovations, and persecutions brought about by him, the corpus of writings attributed to him, and the many acts and miracles associated with his life. Indeed, almost every aspect of modern practice in the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥədo Church has in some way been touched by the Emperor’s influence, from the ecclesiastical calendar to canon law to ritual practice. Zärʾa Yaʿəqob is often known for his involvement in the theological controversies that were prominent during his reign, the instigators of which often elicited his ire, but no group of individuals were more feared or hated by the Emperor than magicians. Many of the works attributed to Zärʾa Yaʿəqob, including the Ṭomarä Təsbʾət (Epistle of Humanity), the Mäṣḥafä Bərhan (Book of Light), and the Mäṣḥafä Miläd (Book of the Nativity), contain rebukes of magicians of different sorts, from diviners to sorcerers or charmers to demoniac soothsayers. In order to argue convincingly against these practices, Zärʾa Yaʿəqob based his authority on texts from the Old and New Testaments and pseudo-Apostolic texts, adapting the motifs and arguments to suit his purposes, ultimately depicting practitioners of magic as wicked individuals, condemned by the Apostles, idolatrous, and destined for destruction. This use of sources and of portrayal formed a key part of the Emperor’s efforts to root out magic in his Empire and an analysis of these efforts offers useful insights into medieval Ethiopian spirituality and religion, homiletics, theology, ecclesiastical politics, and even state politics.
Rejection and Integration: State Reactions to the Evolution of Dionysian Mystery Cult in Greece and Rome
(University of Waterloo, 2020-01-15) Noakes, Andrew; Porreca, David
This thesis examines the integration of Dionysian mystery cults into the state religions of Greek polis and the Roman Republic. The cults are often portrayed as controversial and immoral in myth and literature, but the official reactions of various ancient city states never restricted the cult’s rituals or showed any concern over moral degeneracy. Rather, official reactions from the state pertained solely to leadership and organization of the cults. This thesis proposes that the reason for this is that Dionysian mystery cults provided an opportunity for women to obtain leadership, authority, and self definition through a means that was usually restricted to only a small number of women who obtained official state priesthoods. Therefore integration of the cults and restriction on leadership was the most common reaction, with some allowances still made for the cults to exist in private forms. When this opportunity for leadership, authority and self definition was opened up to men, as in the case of the Roman Bacchanalia, the state reacted much more harshly since the cult now provided a social structure that undermined those of the Roman Republic.

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Browsing Classical Studies by Author "Porreca, David"