Allison Smith

Since I was young, I have been interested in learning about the everyday lives of those who experienced the past. The ancient Romans, in particular, were fascinating to me, and that fascination grew when I entered college and took courses in ancient art, literature, and languages. While the grand architecture and decadent lives of the imperial families of ancient Rome piqued my curiosity initially, the hidden figures and overlooked places of antiquity have become my primary research interests. 

I focus on how material culture, epigraphic evidence, and extant literature can compose a well-rounded understanding of everyday people of the ancient Mediterranean world. My primary avenue of research focuses on one of the most frequented spaces of the ancient Roman world – the bathhouse. I am particularly drawn to the design and construction processes of ancient baths. Who were the people involved in the stages of building these structures? Whose participation that has been overlooked can we attempt to reconstruct? What information, down to the small markings on bricks and pipes unseen by regular patrons of baths, can be used to explain the steps involved in building these spaces? 

In addition to questions involving the construction and maintenance of ancient baths, I am also involved in a new network of ancient bath scholars. We are in the process of building a website and database devoted to ancient baths and bathing habits. I am also active in archaeological excavation as the Field Director of Cosa Excavations (Ansedonia, Italy). We are currently in the final stages of excavating and collecting data for publication of the small bathhouse at this Roman site. I am always happy to involve Davidson students in remote and on-site research at Cosa, so please reach out if you are interested!