Monte Barro: an Ostrogothic fortified site in the Alps

This paper is a reassessment of the original publications of the fortified site of Monte Barro, near Lake Como in Italy, excavated by G.P. Brogiolo and L. Castelletti, which studies its role within the Ostrogothic frontier system. The site is located on a mountain, overlooking the Po plain, but it is close enough to the Alpine passes to control the access into Italy. Built and fortified during the Ostrogothic period, the site was destroyed during the period of the Gothic Wars in the mid sixth century. Because of its location, its views and fortifications, it would be possible to think that it was a fort, especially as it fits perfectly into the Ostrogothic Alpine fortifications, but neither its finds, nor the presence of the main building fully support this statement. Above all, the presence of a bronze hanging crown seems to indicate that some sort of Gothic noble or official lived at the site, which may give Monte Barro not necessarily the category of villa or palace, but certainly an important role within the Gothic administration, probably linked to the Alpine fortification

Engineering, Aqueducts, and the Rupture of Knowledge Transmission in the Visigothic Period

The agitated existing debate between traditional historiography and revisionist positions regarding the nature of the so-called “Visigothic” churches derives, fundamentally, from the proposal that a series of techniques and skills were lost during Late Antiquity. In this paper, I would like to add to the debate by introducing the results from my research on the evolution of aqueducts and water supply in the cities of post-Roman Iberia. The evident lack of proper maintenance and structural repairs fits within general patterns of late antique urban transformations such as the declining interest of curiales in public munificence and the crisis of the municipal institution. But added to this we must see a technical and technological disruption between the Roman past and the Visigothic centuries, which becomes evident when compared with the situation in the Umayyad period and parallels similar developments in other technical skills, such as pottery productions. In this context, the aqueduct of Reccopolis stands out as a unique example of brand new hydraulic infrastructure. Considering how unique the circumstances of Reccopolis are (i.e., royal foundation) and the links between the Visigothic monarchy and the Eastern Empire (where engineering skills were preserved), there is also a case to propose the eventual presence of Eastern engineers linked to this main construction project. Overall, I propose a model in which the lack of demand throughout the fifth and sixth centuries, together with the dismantling of the Imperial state apparatus and the disarticulation of the early Roman municipal system (which favored the construction of aqueducts in the first place) caused a fatal disruption in the transmission of engineering knowledge which, by the period of Visigothic state formation, could only be satisfied by tapping into the active networks of engineering training of the East

The continuity of Roman water supply systems in Post-Roman Spain: the case of Valentia, a reliable example?

Even if the general assumption is that Roman water supply systems (aqueducts in particular) ceased to function during the late Roman period, and that these were not present in medieval cities, recent archaeological research is proving that this was not always the case. Several cities in Spain show archaeological continuity in their water supply systems into the Visigothic period, and one of these seems to be Valencia. There is archaeological evidence to suggest a functioning aqueduct until the eleventh century, probably linked to episcopal patronage or, less probable, due to royal intervention. The information available comes from the excavations at L’Almoina, c/ Cavallers and c/ Quart, in which not only sections of the aqueduct with complete preserved stratigraphy have been retrieved, but also important water-consuming structures. Valencia is also a unique example of the reparation of Roman water supply systems in the Umayyad period

Tell me your age and I tell you what you trust: the moderating effect of generations

Purpose: The proliferation of social commerce websites has allowed consumers to share and exchange information, experiences, advice and opinions. Recently, information provided by users has been considered more trustworthy than the information shared by companies. However, the way in which users interact with technology can vary with age, and generational cohorts show different shopping behaviors, interests and attitudes. Hence, the way users process information (user-generated vs company-generated) can affect trust differently. Drawing on the trust transfer theory and the generational cohort theory, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects on user- and company-generated information in boosting trust of three different cohorts (Generation X, Y and Z). Design/methodology/approach: The data were collected through an online survey. The sample comprised 715 users of social commerce websites, aged between 16 and 55 years old. The study was analyzed using partial least squares with the statistical software Smart PLS 3. Findings: The empirical results show that generational cohorts show different patterns. Generation X transfers trust to social commerce websites mainly from trust in information generated by companies, while Generation Z transfers trust mainly from information generated by users. Finally, Generation Y, in contrast to previous findings about millennials, develops trust based on company-generated information to an even greater extent than does Generation X. Originality/value: The originality of this study lies in its analysis of generational differences when it comes to trusting one type of information over another. This study contributes to the idea that users cannot be considered as a whole but must be segmented into generational cohorts

Social commerce users'' optimal experience: stimuli, response and culture

Social commerce users' experience is generated during socio-commercial interactions. Therein, users receive utilitarian and hedonic stimuli that form their experience and influence their responses. However, research is needed to understand how this experience is generated. Based on the stimulus-organism-response framework and flow theory, this study analyzes how hedonic stimulus (here called sPassion) and utilitarian stimulus (usability) affect users' flow experience (organism) to positively impact emotional and behavioral loyalty (users' responses). Furthermore, as social commerce users are culturally diverse, the moderating effect of cultural background is studied, drawing on Hofstede's cultural dimensions. Findings show that hedonic stimulus more strongly impacts social commerce users' flow experience versus utilitarian stimulus. Once users reach the state of optimal experience, their positive responses are reflected in their increased intention to spread social word of mouth, to return to the website and to repurchase on it. Additionally, optimal user experience in social commerce is generated mainly through hedonic stimuli and, while social commerce environments can be culturally diverse, cultural background does not imply changes in users' behavioral patterns. This study theoretically advances research on social commerce users' experience. Likewise, the findings guide online retailers in optimizing user experience via hedonic stimuli to enhance loyalty

From sPassion to sWOM: The role of flow

Purpose - Social commerce websites entail a completely new scenario for sharing experiences and opinions due to its richness in terms of social interactions. Nowadays, users can interact with the company and with other users; hence, it seems important to study how social stimuli affect users. Drawing on the stimulus-organism-response framework and flow theory, the purpose of this paper is to propose that the social stimulus (named social passion (sPassion)) has a positive effect on the organism (state of flow), which leads to a users' positive response (via social word of mouth (sWOM)). Design/methodology/approach - The data were collected through an online survey in 2015. The sample consists of 771 users of social commerce websites, of which 51 percent are male and 49 percent female, aged between 16 and 80 years old. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data with the statistical software SPSS version 22 and EQS 6. Findings - The empirical results confirm that passionate users are prone to experience a state of flow and, as a consequence, share positive sWOM. Originality/value - This study contributes to the literature on customers' online participation, and the findings are hoped to help companies in developing social commerce websites that boost users' exchange of information