Childbirth and Communities of Care in Ancient Rome | Labour and Humanities Seminar with Anna Bonnell Freidin

How did Romans mitigate the risks of childbirth? This talk will explore the communities that supported and protected birthing people and their offspring. A material approach can help us build out these communities: amulets (whether made of stone, plants, or something else) will be our primary focus, as they brought together (sometimes unlikely) people and nonhuman agencies, ultimately revealing a hierarchical, networked approach to managing uncertainty and performing the labor of care.