Movement, the Senses and Representations of the Roman World: Experiencing the Sebasteion in Aphrodisias

Aphrodisias' Sebasteion, a first-century AD monument dedicated to emperor worship, was experienced by its audience not through static visual study but during dynamic religious processions. This sensory approach reveals that movement and architecture significantly influenced spectators' perceptions of the Roman world. While previous studies focused on close visual analysis, this research demonstrates that moving past high, static images amidst other stimuli altered the ideological impact of the monument. The findings challenge conventional interpretations by integrating architectural context with sensory experience, offering a nuanced understanding of how ancient audiences engaged with and interpreted monumental art.

Kemp, J., & Kemp, J. (2016). Movement, the Senses and Representations of the Roman World: Experiencing the Sebasteion in Aphrodisias. Exchanges: The Interdisciplinary Research Journal, 3(2), 157–184. https://doi.org/10.31273/eirj.v3i2.132