
Romulus' Asylum
Roman Identities from the Age of Alexander to the Age of Hadrian
Emma Dench(Author)
Oxford University Press
Published on 16. June 2005
Book
Hardback
456 pages
978-0-19-815051-0 (ISBN)
Description
Modern treatments of Rome have projected in highly emotive terms the perceived problems, or the aspirations, of the present: 'race-mixture' has been blamed for the collapse of the Roman empire; more recently, Rome and Roman society have been depicted as 'multicultural'. Moving beyond these and beyond more traditional, juridical approaches to Roman identity, Emma Dench focuses on ancient modes of thinking about selves and relationships with other peoples, including descent-myths, history, and ethnographies. She explores the relative importance of sometimes closely interconnected categories of blood descent, language, culture and clothes, and territoriality. Rome's creation of a distinctive imperial shape is understood in the context of the broader ancient Mediterranean world within which the Romans self-consciously situated themselves, and whose modes of thought they appropriated and transformed.
Reviews / Votes
There is no doubt that this project is a success * Hermathena * Dench offers one of the most learned, sophisticated, and full discussions of her theme in recent years, and one which succeeds admirably in stimulating debate. * A. J. S. Spawforth * This is a superb treatment which will be of great value both to those who are interested in self-perception and self-presentation, and to those seeking important new insights on 'mainstream' topics such as the Roman citizenship and the notion of Italy. * Christopher Burnand and Katherine Clarke, Greece and Rome * Romulus' Asylum contains many sharp observations * W. V. Harris, Times Literary Supplement *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
1 halftone frontispiece
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 145 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
770 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-815051-0 (9780198150510)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
Emma Dench is Professor of Ancient History, Birkbeck College, University of London.
Content
Introduction ; 1. Roman Ethnographies ; 2. Romulus' Asylum: The Character of the Roman Citizenship ; 3. The Idea of Italy ; 4. Flesh and Blood ; 5. Languages and Literatures ; Epilogue: Closure?