Matthew Previto

Matt is a PhD candidate in classical archaeology, principally interested in the uses of material culture in the construction of identities, and the experience of imperialism in places that are spatially, temporally, and conceptually liminal in the Roman Empire. To explore these questions, he draws on frameworks including network theory, postcolonialism, and the material turn, and seeks to contribute to discussions of trans-imperialism and the ideological citation of the Roman Empire in later imperial projects. Other areas of interest include the military vici of the Roman frontier on the lower Danube, as well as suburban spaces in Roman provinces, with case studies from Sardinia and Sicily, where he is involved in fieldwork at Vendicari. In addition to his work on ancient Rome, he is keen to contribute to the decolonization of archaeology, especially in the building of stronger relationships with descendant groups and the building of mutually supportive and equitable communities that include local stakeholders and archaeologists.