Back

The Elephant in the Atrium: Conquest, Interpretation, and the Image of Caelestis.

  • Published In: TAPA, 2025, v. 155, n. 1. P. 107 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Hurt, Emily Lucille 3 of 3

Abstract

In the Roman context, female figures crowned by the ears, tusks, and trunk of an elephant are commonly interpreted as images of the personification of Africa. This article argues that, in some cases, the ancient viewer would have understood these images to be the goddess Caelestis, sometimes associated with Juno. I trace a Roman iconographic program that conflated the genii ("divine spirits") of the territory of Africa and the city of Carthage with the goddess. I thus both provide a new reading of some controversial images and use the visual evidence alongside the linguistic to reframe how the relationships between Africa, Caelestis, and Juno were understood, seen, and portrayed at the intersection of religion and territorial conquest across the Roman world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:TAPA. 2025/03, Vol. 155, Issue 1, p107
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:2575-7180
  • DOI:10.1353/apa.2025.a957880
  • Accession Number:184628931
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of TAPA is the property of Johns Hopkins University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.