In the first volume of the newly founded Brepols series Studies in Classical Archaeology (SCA), Professor Rubina Raja (Aarhus University) writes a chapter on ”Going Individual: Roman-Period Portraiture in Classical Archaeology”. The author addresses the cultural significance of portraits and shows how different materials, styles and expressions reflect individual demonstrations of societal status. The portraiture tradition is put into a Roman-period context, during which time this art form became one of the key instruments of ’positioning’ individuals relative to their fellow citizens. This was especially the case in the funerary sphere – a prime example of which is constituted by the collection of grave portraiture from Palmyra. This group of materials has been studied extensively within the ambit of The Palmyra Portrait Project, which is directed by the author and funded by the Carlsberg Foundation. Finally, Rubina Raja calls for a new approach to portrait studies, which rises above the historical connotations associated with current terminology and methodology.

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