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Reassessing the Oppida : The Role of Power and Religion
Author(s) -
FernándezGötz Manuel
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
oxford journal of archaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1468-0092
pISSN - 0262-5253
DOI - 10.1111/ojoa.12043
Subject(s) - ideology , interpretation (philosophy) , politics , history , power (physics) , environmental ethics , political economy , sociology , archaeology , political science , law , philosophy , linguistics , physics , quantum mechanics
Summary For a long time, the origins and development of Late Iron Age oppida were viewed from predominantly economic perspectives and as dependent on contacts with the Mediterranean world. However, advances in research in recent decades make it necessary to qualify and reassess many of the traditional interpretations of the genesis and functions of these centres, one of the most striking phenomena of the last two centuries BC . This article emphasizes the political and religious role of continental E uropean oppida , understanding them as a new ‘technology of power’, which enabled a more hierarchical and centralizing ideology to be articulated. Moreover, new evidence suggests that many oppida may have had their origin in spaces for ritual gatherings. The result is a new interpretation of the genesis and characteristics of Late Iron Age centralization processes.