Seminar. Of Standing and Sitting: Etiquette at the Court of Later Roman Emperors

The late Roman court seems to be characterised by an opposition unknown to republican Rome and the high empire. The opposition between the sovereign who sits on the throne, and all the others who stand: ministers and senators, officials, soldiers and ambassadors... Although it is undoubtedly true that new customs and a new etiquette developed in the empire in parallel with the sacralisation of the imperial figure, and that on numerous occasions those who approached the prince had to stand before him, this rule cannot be generalised. There were many exceptions: the study of such exceptions can tell us much about Late Antique society and its social structure. In order to show this, some figurative and textual sources will be discussed in detail.