Talk by Dr. Tara Welch of the University of KansasOctober 25, 2012 at 7–8 p.m.

Tarpeia in Silver: Ethnicity in the Roman Social War

The myth of Tarpeia tells of a young Roman woman who betrays her city on the promise of a reward, only to be killed instead. Her myth appears on a coin dating from the Social War (91-88 BCE), a bitter conflict fought between Rome and its former Italian allies. It is part of a series of coins minted by a Roman who claims Sabine descent. Other coins in the series depict such scenes as the rape of the Sabine women and a victory chariot. In this talk, these coins serve as a snapshot of ethnic stereotypes in Rome, as well as a window into various ways of conceptualizing Rome as an open society, similar to that of the US. This talk mentions modern ethnicity and plurality, specifically the mosaic model Canada espouses and the melting pot model favored by the US.