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Bunny Waring

Bunny Waring's PhD is 'Imitated Innovation: Communicating Power and Legitimacy in the Sullan Era'. Read more.

Project title

Imitated Innovation: Communicating Power and Legitimacy in the Sullan Era.

Supervisors

Project Description

Summary

The rise of Lucius Cornelius Sulla (138-78 BCE) marked a pivotal turning point in the late Roman Republic and is central to any appreciation of the political and cultural developments of the first century BCE. Imitated Innovation takes a new, integrated approach to the innovative strategies through which Sulla constructed and asserted his power to a range of audiences in Rome, Italy, and across the forming Empire. Through an original assemblage, analysis and synthesis of new or underappreciated evidence of Sullan coinage, epigraphy, and sculpture, this project will investigate the mechanisms and impact of a key player in Roman history.

Research Questions:

The key aim of this project is to re-evaluate the ways in which Sulla sought to establish, secure, and communicate his accomplishments across a vast and increasingly complex empire. This brief requires a thorough coverage of the evidence base -which has been further enriched by recent discoveries- and a discussion framed around three thematic axes:

(i) Addressing audiences in Rome. How did Sulla’s changes to traditional Roman coin imagery, mint location, legends and metallurgy convey his achievements to elite and non-elite audiences in Rome?

(ii) Conveying Roman achievements to non-Roman audiences. How did Sulla’s sculptural and epigraphic use of symbolic attributes and distinctive cognomina make his success intelligible and familiar to individuals and communities beyond Rome?

(iii) Embedding authority. How did Sulla embed his authority in daily life, through the enduring use of traditional cult, prophetic dreams, and divine visions?

Bunny Waring

Funding awards

Research grants

  • Northern Bridge Consortium, 2021
  • Durbridge Memorial Fund, 2019

Conference papers

  • The Sullan Era: Who? What? Why Does it Matter? Online Lecture Presentation for Newcastle University, Dec 2021.
  • The Symbolism of Roman Bread Online Lecture Presentation for Newcastle University, Dec 2021.
  • Opening Address and Close Conference Chair for SAHID Network, Jan 2019.
  • Digital Heritage: Learning through conversations and relationships in FutureLearn. Conference Presentation for FutureLearn Academic Network, Nov 2017.
  • Virtual Rome: The Digital Reconstruction of an Ancient City. Finalist Poster for Undergraduate Research Opportunity Project, May 2017.
  • Waring, B. (postponed 2021) Sullan Coinage: Innovation and Imitation in: Conference Paper Publication Volume: Sullanum Tempus. Barcelona: University of Barcelona.

Publications

  • Waring, B. (2021) Little John's Farm: Reading Festival Project - Desk-Based Assessment. Reading: University of Reading.
  • Maričević, D, Regan, R., Clarke, A., Waring, B., Fry, R., Banerjea, R., Batchelor, R., Hale, L., Thacker, M., Campos Blasé, R., Lambert-Gates, S., King, T. & Mithen, S. (2019) Dunyvaig & Hinterland Assessment Project 2018: Archaeological Evaluation and Survey of Dunyvaig Castle. Islay: Islay Heritage.

Research Projects

Ongoing Projects

  • From September 2018, Founder: Science and Humanities Interdisciplinary Dialogues network (SAHID).
  • From October 2016, Digital-Heritage Online Mentor: Virtual Rome Future Learn Massive Online Open Course (MOOC).
  • From September 2015, Research Assistant: Virtual Rome Project with Prof. Matthew Nicholls.
  • From January 2017, Creative Director: Heritage and Education Outreach Blog: Archaeology Grrl.

Forthcoming Projects

  • January – May 2022, Teaching Assistant: The Roman World from Romulus to Heraclius – Undergraduate level.

 

Completed Projects

  • May – Aug 2021 Project Officer: Reading Festival Excavation and Exhibition Project, University and Museum of Reading.
  • Feb 2020 – May 2021 Classics Department Social Media Creative Director: University of Reading.
  • June– July 2020 Trench Supervisor & Undergraduates Teacher –Silchester Roman Bath House, Archaeology Department, University of Reading.
  • Aug – Sept 2020 Trench Supervisor & Undergraduates Teacher –Dunyvaig Castle Field School, Archaeology Department, University of Reading.
  • Feb – Oct 2020 Digital-Heritage Online Mentor – Virtual Rome Future Learn MOOC (Runs 8-10).
  • Sept 2019 – Mar 2020 Teaching Assistant: Foundation Year, Classical Texts, University of Reading.
  • Sept 2019 – Mar 2020 Library Custodian: Classics Resource Library, Classics, University of Reading.
  • Sept 2019 – Mar 2020 Teaching & Administration Assistant: Classics Department, University of Reading.
  • Aug – Sept 2019 Trench Supervisor & Undergraduates Teacher –Dunyvaig Field School (Mithen & Maričević), Archaeology, University of Reading.
  • June – July 2019 Trench Supervisor & Undergraduates Teacher –Silchester Field School (Fulford & Clarke), Archaeology, University of Reading.
  • Mar – June 2019 Digital-Heritage Online Mentor – Virtual Rome Future Learn MOOC (Runs 6-7).
  • Nov 2018 – June 2019 Numismatic Data Collator – (Creighton), University of Reading.
  • Oct – Nov 2018 Executive Editor Lecture Capture Series – Philosophy, University of Reading.
  • Aug - Sept 2018 Trench Supervisor & Undergraduates Teacher –Dunyvaig Field School (Mithen & Maričević), Archaeology, University of Reading.
  • June – Oct 2018 Digital-Heritage Online Mentor – Virtual Rome Future Learn MOOC (Runs 4-5).
  • June - Aug 2018 Trench Supervisor & Undergraduates Teacher –Silchester Field School (Fulford & Clarke), Archaeology, University of Reading.
  • Feb - July 2018 Student Lead: PLanT Projects Scheme: Pewsey Post Excavation IADB, Archaeology, University of Reading.
  • Feb – Mar 2018 Team Advisor: PLanT Projects Scheme: Digital-Skills for Heritage Careers, Classics, University of Reading.
  • Nov 2017 – Feb 2018 Post Excavation Assistant – Rubha Port an t’Seilich, (Mithen & Maričević), Islay Heritage.
  • July 2017 – Aug 2017 Trench Supervisor and Undergraduates Teacher – Cat’s Brain Field School (Leary & Clarke), Archaeology, University of Reading.
  • May 2017 – Sept 2017 Research Assistant for Undergraduate Research Opportunity Project: Virtual Rome Run 1 (Nicholls).
  • Mar – Oct 2017 Digital-Heritage Online Mentor – Virtual Rome Future Learn MOOC (Runs 2-3).
  • July 2016 – Aug 2016 Assistant Supervisor and Undergraduates Mentor – Pewsey Field School (Leary & Clarke), Archaeology, University of Reading.

 

Commercial Archaeological Field Experience

  • July 2016 – Sept 2021     Project Officer, Trench Supervisor, Post Excavation Assistant & Report Co-Author Archaeology Department, University of Reading.
  • May 2011- June 2015 (Ad Hoc Acting Project Officer), Supervisor & Geomatics/Survey Supervisor, Oxford Archaeology South.
  • Jan 2011 - May 2011 Assistant Supervisor, Oxford Archaeology East.
  • Sept 2009 – July 2010 Archaeologist, Oxford Archaeology North.
  • Aug 2007, 2008 & 2009 Assistant Supervisor & Archaeologist, Stonehenge Riverside Project.
  • Jan 2003 - Aug 2003 Series 11 Finds Manager & Coordinator, Time Team.
  • Mar 2001 – Aug 2003 Finds Assistant, Wessex Archaeology.

Qualifications

  • British School at Rome Studentship: City of Rome – Distinction

  • University of Reading Master's Degree: Archaeology and Classics – Distinction

  • University of Reading Undergraduate Degree: Ancient History, Classics and Archaeology – First Class

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