Roman mosaics in Algeria and Portugal: Mediterranean similarities and divergences

Abstract

The expansion of the Roman Empire and the establishment of the Pax Romana unified the regions of the Mare Nostrum under a single political authority, fostering a civic model based on the growth of civitates. This urbanization catalyst spurred unprecedented architectural development, driving a pervasive boom in mosaic decoration.

 From the second century CE through Late Antiquity, mosaic became a primary decorative element across various architectural spaces, particularly within private contexts, facilitating the widespread dissemination of iconographic themes and geometric patterns in the Roman world.

Positioned historically as a 'commercial and cultural crossroads', modern-day Algeria and Portugal, formerly encompassing the Roman provinces of Mauretania, Numidia, Western Proconsularis, and Lusitania, share a rich mosaic heritage that reflects a common Mediterranean koinê and distinct regional influences.

To explore this shared heritage, this study conducts an iconographic and comparative analysis of four mythological themes common to both countries, using mosaics from the ancient Roman provinces of modern-day Algeria and Portugal. This approach allows us to examine how these recurring themes were interpreted differently, highlighting their integration into architectural spaces and revealing regional variations.

To address these issues, our paper investigates the iconographic connections between Algerian and Portuguese mosaics, identifying their shared attributes and regional specificities. It examines the architectural contexts of these pavements and evaluates the circulation and transmission of specific mosaic models between the North African and Lusitanian provinces. Resolving these core inquiries relies on a formalized comparative methodology. This framework comprises four consecutive analytical phases: a historiographical and literature review, a targeted iconographic and typological analysis, a cross-regional data synthesis, and an architectural contextualization.

By examining the technical and artistic execution of the selected mosaics, this paper indicates that the greatest concentration of the pavements discussed, from Algeria and Portugal, occurred within domestic-private spatial organization. Our comparative framework substantiates a high degree of artistic homogeneity between the Ancient Roman provinces of Algeria and Portugal, both in mythological themes and in compositional methodologies.

Ultimately, the iconographic and stylistic analysis reveals that despite a shared artistic repertoire, regional workshop practices in Ancient Algeria and Portugal retain distinct originalities, treating identical themes, as clearly attested by the North African scheme of the Dionysian triumph found in Hispania with local divergences, through unique, localized styles and applications.

Key words: Mosaic-Architectural context-Algeria/Portugal- Iconography