Legendary Rome

by Rea, Jennifer A.

• ISBN13: 9780715636466
• ISBN10: 0715636464
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2007-06-05
• Publisher: Bristol Classical Pr

Summary

This is the first book to offer a comparative treatment of the reinvention of Rome's origins in the poetry of Vergil, Tibullus and Propertius. It also examines the impact that the changing topography of Rome, as orchestrated by the emperor Augustus, had on those poets' renditions of Rome's legendary past. When the poets explore the significance of Augustus' reconstruction of the Palatine and Capitoline hills, they create new meaning and memories for the story of Rome's legendary foundations. As the tradition of Rome's mythic and legendary origins evolves through each poetic revision, the past transforms and is reinvented anew. Written when Rome was in the process of defining a new identity, the poems studied here capture the growing tension between community and individual development, the restoration of peace vs expansion through military means, and stability and change within the city.

Author Biography

Jennifer A. Rea is an Assistant Professor of Classics at the University of Florida in Gainesville. In addition to having articles forthcoming in 'Ancient Narrative' (2006) and 'Scholia' (2006/7), she is the author of nine entries in 'Medieval Italy' (Routledge, 2003) and numerous book reviews.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. vii
Illustrations
The Hut of Romulus	p. ix
Map of the Palatine	p. x
Map of the Capitoline	p. xi
Experiencing the Visual: Roman Landscapes	p. 1
Introduction: Rome Recalled	p. 3
The Palatine: The Casa Romuli and the Domus Augusti	p. 21
The Capitoline: Jupiter Tonans Restores the Past	p. 44
Poetic Impressions of the Archaic City	p. 65
Thinking in Images: Preserving the Past for the Present	p. 67
Urbs Aeterna: Reinventing Rome in Tibullus 2.5 and Aeneid 8	p. 85
Maxima Roma: Refounding Rome in Propertius 4.1, 4.4, and 4.9	p. 103
Conclusion: Rome Restored	p. 125
Notes	p. 139
Bibliography	p. 163
Index Locorum	p. 175
General Index	p. 176
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