The Influence of Famine on Roman Reactions to Sixteenth-Century Urban Reconstruction

Early Modern Roman churches, buildings, and roads now stagger awe-struck tourists, and many historians react similarly when describing the sixteenth-century urban developments that shaped the city we admire today. These reactions, however, do not reflect the fact that the most intense periods of Roman reconstruction were contemporaneous with severe food shortages. After surviving repeated famines, scrounging for sour bread on the Eternal City's streets, how did Romans react to the destruction of their homes for lavish construction projects that directly contradicted the scarcity they suffered first-hand? For my DPhil research, I am studying how famines affected Romans' reactions to urban projects. In doing so, I am expanding on the work of scholars such as Joseph Connors, Laurie Nussdorfer, and Giorgio Simoncini by exploring the often ignored voices of the non-elite. My studies build off the work of Henri Lefebvre by exploring the dialectical relationship between commoners and their environment, as opposed to solely focusing on the intended message of those in power. My research provides a needed reevaluation of sixteenth-century Roman reconstruction and urban life by uplifting the often overlooked voices of protest and the lived experience of commoners. My work also takes a novel and necessary step in the scholarship by incorporating the cultural and social impacts of hunger into the history of famine.


To execute this project, I am exploring the records of the Maestri di Strade and the Presidenze Delle Strade (street officials) who often acted in a judicial role between property owners and those leading construction projects. In these records, I study conflicts over construction, as well as mentions of popular rejection of such projects. I am also studying Roman avvisi (newsletters) for moments of protest or popular reactions to urban reconstruction. This methodology is inspired by the research of anthropologist James C. Scott on how to witness the subtle forms of popular protest to power.


My research asks how urban projects affect residents and how trauma shapes civil reactions to the cities their governments construct. Through this project, I intend to heighten our understanding of how to improve modern cities while honoring the past and present experiences of their residents.