ABSTRACT
This epilogue brings the volume full-circle by drawing together the various contributions and highlighting the way material culture exposes not only connectivity but also the diverse forms of human mobility. The chapter particularly draws out the quotidian nature of ancient mobility that underpins the practices showcased in these studies – the importance of intersections and communities of practice for innovation and knowledge creation. It reflects on the way control and limits on movement impact our models and understanding of connectivity and its agents. Furthermore, it connects the snapshot of ancient Italy in the volume to our present context (at the time of writing) – a highly disrupted and immobile period within the COVID-19 pandemic. It ends with the question of consequences of our current moment of isolation, which exists in sharp contrast to the fundamentally mobile and interconnected world (although not for all) of only a year or two before.
