Chapter Monumental Transformations: Two Copies of a Letter from Hadrian at Aphrodisias

Abstract

How is a document transformed in the journey from text to monument? This chapter explores how the process of inscribing (or recarving) a document could impact its appearance, function, and meaning. Monumental documents have been the subject of much scholarship, but the focus of studies has primarily been on content. While this approach makes sense from a historical perspective, recent scholarship has sought to incorporate aspects of materiality and physicality into interpretations of inscriptions, which are experienced both as texts and as objects. Did different versions of a document look like copies? How might differences in the physical appearance and context of a document shape its perception and meaning? Focusing on a specific case study, two copies of a letter from Hadrian to Aphrodisias inscribed at different times and places (I.Aphrodisias 2007 8.34 and I.Aphrodisias 2007 11.114), this chapter assesses how monumental copies of documents were presented and perceived by ancient viewers.