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Roman Literature and its Contexts
Empire and Memory: The Representation of the Roman Republic in Imperial Culture
Despite the fact that the Roman Republic came to an undeniable end in 31 BC with the accession of the emperor Augustus, the memory of the Republic persisted. This book explores how that memory manifested itself, serving as an avenue for dissent as well as imperial propaganda, before gradually fading over the course of the early Empire (AD 14-117). Presenting case-studies of several imperial authors and key Roman monuments, it also examines the close relationship between memory and history in Roman thought, informed by modern studies of historical memory.
192 pages, Paperback
First published August 11, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 10, 2022
fuck i guess i have to read some tacitus now. okay.
February 5, 2023
Another fantastic bit of scholarship, highly recommended to anyone wanting to get a grip of the Republican legacy and the way in which its memory challenged and bolstered the imperial project throughout the Roman Empire (Augustus --> Trajan). I particularly liked the section on Lucan's De Bello Civili, and the discussion of his tackling of Caesar as memory-maker / historian in his Commentarii. Equally enjoyed the Jacques Le Goff quote at the beginning, which I'll quote here: 'to make themselves the master of memory and forgetfulness is one of the great preoccupations of the classes, groups, and individuals who have dominated … historical societies'.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews