I developed an interest in Roman religion while studying classical art and archaeology in college, and focused on the survival of Roman "paganism" in the face of the increasing power of Christianity. I was intrigued by the fact that, despite the attempts of third and fourth-century Christian writers to denigrate ancient cults in Rome, material evidence such as paintings, sculptures, ivory carvings and tomb decorations revealed not only the survival but even the strength of old religious customs.
I wrote my senior thesis on three prominent monuments built by Roman emperors during the early fourth century, the Decennalia monument in the Roman Forum, the Arch of Galerius in Thessaloniki, and the Arch of Constantine in Rome. The structures illustrate how the emperors reacted to the religious controversy of their time and demonstrate that many of the signs of pagan strength during this period are found in objects and monuments rather than in texts.
My work on excavations in Syria and Cyprus introduced me to the science of archaeology and exposed me further to the complicated relationships between archaeology, art history and literary texts. The possibility of learning about a culture, different periods of time, and religious cults through a careful study of objects appeals to me, and I chose my dissertation topic with the aim of combining my interests in archaeology and religion.
I have recently begun work on my dissertation, entitled "The Cults of Syrian-Phoenician Gods in the City of Rome: Archaeology, Topography and Connections to the Roman East." I plan to examine the development of the cults in Rome as well as their connections to Roman Syria (modern Syria and Lebanon), and hope to understand more clearly how religions spread through diverse regions and cultures. Scholars in my field often specialize in the city of Rome or in a particular Roman province, whereas I want to continue to explore topics in Roman religion, art and archaeology that cross geographical and disciplinary boundaries.