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Romanization in the Time of Augustus
During the lifetime of Augustus (from 63 B.C. to A.D. 14), Roman civilization spread at a remarkable rate throughout the ancient world, influencing such areas as art and architecture, religion, law, local speech, city design, clothing, and leisure and family activities. In this vivid book, Ramsay MacMullen investigates why the adoption of Roman ways was so prevalent during this period.
Drawing largely on archaeological sources, MacMullen discovers that during this period more than half a million Roman veterans were resettled in colonies overseas, and an additional hundred or more urban centers in the provinces took on normal Italian-Roman town constitutions. Great sums of expendable wealth came into the hands of ambitious Roman and local notables, some of which was spent in establishing and advertising Roman ways. MacMullen argues that acculturation of the ancient world was due not to cultural imperialism on the part of the conquerors but to eagerness of imitation among the conquered, and that the Romans were able to respond with surprisingly effective techniques of mass production and standardization.
Drawing largely on archaeological sources, MacMullen discovers that during this period more than half a million Roman veterans were resettled in colonies overseas, and an additional hundred or more urban centers in the provinces took on normal Italian-Roman town constitutions. Great sums of expendable wealth came into the hands of ambitious Roman and local notables, some of which was spent in establishing and advertising Roman ways. MacMullen argues that acculturation of the ancient world was due not to cultural imperialism on the part of the conquerors but to eagerness of imitation among the conquered, and that the Romans were able to respond with surprisingly effective techniques of mass production and standardization.
- GenresHistoryAncient History
222 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
Ramsay MacMullen
32 books25 followersA specialist in Roman social history and the rise of Christianity in the Roman world, Ramsay MacMullen was Dunham Professor of History and Classics at Yale University, where he taught from 1967 until his retirement in 1993. Educated at Phillips Exeter and Harvard, from which he held all three of his degrees, MacMullen taught at the University of Oregon and Brandeis before moving to Yale.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 16, 2025
How did the culture of Roman Italy spread throughout the provinces of the Roman Empire during the life of Augustus Caesar (63 BC to AD 14)? That question is the focus this short but fact-filled book by Ramsay MacMullen, a distinguished historian at Yale University. Although the limited timeframe of his inquiry may seem narrow, it's the kind of book that could only be written by an author who has traveled the Roman Empire and studied the archaeological evidence in detail.
The book is organized into four major geographical areas: the East, Africa, Spain and Gaul. In each region, the author offers maps showing all the cities founded (or re-founded) by Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar, respectively. These maps reflect deep scholarship and provide a succinct visual guide to the places where two of Rome's great leaders planted new communities - mostly with tens of thousands of veterans retired from the famous legions.
The author also explains how cultural influences flowed from one part of the empire to another, often in short periods of time. In the cosmopolitan city of Rome, for example, MacMullen reports surprisingly that a majority of the population were of Greek descent. Roman roads and seaborne trade brought distant cities into close contact with Rome, and provincial elites rapidly absorbed Roman language, currency, architecture, products and entertainments.
The book jumps around bit, collecting anecdotes from a wide variety of sites and literary sources. Therefore, it's not recommended as a place to begin learning about Roman history in the time of Augustus. For those who have already have some background and have seen some of the empire's surviving monuments, however, this book paints a rich picture of life in the Augustan Age.
The book is organized into four major geographical areas: the East, Africa, Spain and Gaul. In each region, the author offers maps showing all the cities founded (or re-founded) by Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar, respectively. These maps reflect deep scholarship and provide a succinct visual guide to the places where two of Rome's great leaders planted new communities - mostly with tens of thousands of veterans retired from the famous legions.
The author also explains how cultural influences flowed from one part of the empire to another, often in short periods of time. In the cosmopolitan city of Rome, for example, MacMullen reports surprisingly that a majority of the population were of Greek descent. Roman roads and seaborne trade brought distant cities into close contact with Rome, and provincial elites rapidly absorbed Roman language, currency, architecture, products and entertainments.
The book jumps around bit, collecting anecdotes from a wide variety of sites and literary sources. Therefore, it's not recommended as a place to begin learning about Roman history in the time of Augustus. For those who have already have some background and have seen some of the empire's surviving monuments, however, this book paints a rich picture of life in the Augustan Age.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews