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Full text release has been delayed at the author's request until August 09, 2026

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The Porphyry Ceiling. Ethnicity and Power in the Late Roman Empire

Storti, Gemma
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1626868015703298

Abstract Details

2021, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Greek and Latin.
My dissertation investigates how questions of ethnicity affected social mobility in the military and political context of the late Roman empire. In particular, I focus on individuals of the fourth and fifth centuries whose ethnic profiles can be defined as non-Roman, and I illustrate how their ethnic `otherness’ could be considered as a liability for advancement in the Roman state. Through the analysis of selected case studies, I show that invisible barriers to recognition and promotion were in place in the late Roman world for individuals with a non-Roman pedigree. The careers of Alaric, Gainas, Stilicho, Aspar, Arbogast, Ricimer, Magnentius, and Zeno testify to the existence of these barriers, which I call the `Porphyry Ceiling’ after the modern notion of the Glass Ceiling.
Anthony Kaldellis (Advisor)
216 p.
Classical Studies
ethnicity; Late Antiquity; glass ceiling; porphyry ceiling; Alaric; Gainas; Tribigild; Stilicho; Eucherius; Aspar; Ardabur; Arbogast; Ricimer; Magnentius; Zeno

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Storti, G. (2021). The Porphyry Ceiling. Ethnicity and Power in the Late Roman Empire [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1626868015703298

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Storti, Gemma. The Porphyry Ceiling. Ethnicity and Power in the Late Roman Empire. 2021. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1626868015703298.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Storti, Gemma. "The Porphyry Ceiling. Ethnicity and Power in the Late Roman Empire." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1626868015703298

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.