Creating Common Ground in Aphrodisias. Communicative Anchoring in Asia Minor in the Augustan Era

Summary This article explores the formation of the Roman Empire during the Augustan era (43 B.C.E.–14 C.E.), focusing on the creation of common ground between different (socio-cultural) groups in the city of Aphrodisias in Asia Minor. The concept of common ground – recognized by linguists as a crucial element for mutual understanding at the level of individual communicative interaction – allows us to better understand the role of collective action in empire formation. We argue that empire formation was only possible because over a long period of time different groups and individuals made attempts to come to mutual understanding in a variety of ways, reflecting, out of necessity or otherwise, a collective openness towards different socio-cultural manifestations. The article discusses three layers of socio-cultural manifestations where common ground was sought: written interaction (letters and inscriptions), common institutions and practices (coins, theatre, festivals), and shared values and ideas (portrayal of a local hero). This perspective helps us understand how Roman Empire formation worked as a process. Furthermore, investigating how common ground creation works in the lives of ancient peoples, beyond verbal communication between individuals or groups, usefully widens the applicability of this theoretical framework by also taking communities as a whole into account.