Donne imprenditrici nell'Italia romana

The thesis aims to study the role of businesswomen involved in economical and productive activities, documented between the late Republic and the late III century AD on the territory of Roman Italy. Their activity and their involvement in the exploitation of landed property, production and commercialization is well documented by epigraphic evidence, primarily the epigraphy on instrumentum inscriptum. The presence of female names is documented on different categories of instrumentum: the main category is constituted by construction materials (brick and tiles) and ceramic as amphorae, dolia and mortaria. A smaller percentage is represented by glass containers, fine samian ware, lead tablets bearing inscriptions related to textile production. The geographical area considered follows the Augustan organization of Italy in administrative Regiones. The chronological time frame develops from the 1st century BC to the late 3rd century AD. Each prosopographical record is based first of all on a re-examination of the epigraphical evidence; this data is then connected with other sources, for example literary or juridical. The aim of each reconstruction is to shape and understand in the most comprehensive way the nature and the extent of the economic activity carried on by each woman, and the role they had in the administration of the financial side of the enterprise, their involvement in the distribution and commercialization of the finished product. Each activity has been linked with the territory of origin of the family, when possible, and with the political and social power gained by members of the family.