Joseph C. Miller Memorial Lecture by Erin Thomas Dailey

How did late antique households influence wider social organization and the Roman state?
They served as microcosms of society, shaping social hierarchies and relationships. Within these spaces, residents negotiated various dynamics, including those between free and slave, parent and child, and citizen and foreigner. The vulnerability of slaves to sexual exploitation and the politics of desire significantly influenced daily interactions, impacting the social status of all involved. This paper examines these dynamics and their impact on late Roman attitudes during a transformative era often dubbed the 'Age of Anxiety.