Overview

The story of Roman Hellenism—defined as the imitation or adoption of something Greek by those subject to or operating under Roman power—begins not with Roman incursions into the Greek mainland, but in Italy, where our most plentiful and spectacular surviving evidence is concentrated. Think of the architecture of the Roman capital, the Campanian towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum buried by Vesuvius, and the Hellenic culture of the Etruscans. Perhaps “everybody knows” that Rome adapted Greek culture in a steadily more “sophisticated” way as its prosperity and might increased. This volume, however, argues that the assumption of smooth continuity, let alone steady “improvement,” in any aspect of Roman Hellenism can blind us to important aspects of what Roman Hellenism really is and how it functions in a given context. As the first book to focus on the comparison of Roman Hellenisms per se, Comparing Roman Hellenisms in Italy shows that such comparison is especially valuable in revealing how any singular instance of the phenomenon is situated and specific, and has its own life, trajectory, circumstances, and afterlife. Roman Hellenism is always a work in progress, is often strategic, often falls prey to being forgotten, decontextualized, or reread in later periods, and thus is in important senses contingent. Further, what we may broadly identify as a Roman Hellenism need not imply Rome as the only center of influence. Roman Hellenism is often decentralized, and depends strongly on local agents, aesthetics, and materials. With this in mind, the essays concentrate geographically on Italy to lend both focus and breadth to our topic, as well as to emphasize the complex interrelation of Hellenism at Rome with Rome’s surroundings. Because Hellenism, whether as practiced by Romans or Rome’s subjects, is in fact widely diffused across far-flung geographical regions, the final part of the collection gestures to this broader context.

Full Product Details

Author:   Basil Dufallo ,  Riemer A. Faber
Publisher:   The University of Michigan Press
Imprint:   The University of Michigan Press
Weight:   0.363kg
ISBN:  

9780472133406

ISBN 10:   0472133403
Pages:   394
Publication Date:   30 April 2023
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In stock  
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations Abbreviations Acknowledgements Introduction Basil Dufallo and Riemer A. Faber 1. Pythagoras and Alcibiades in the Comitium, or: The Sculptural Representation of Greek Subjects in the Forum, ca. 320–220 BCE Roman Roth 2. Roman Epicureanism Alison Keith 3. Augustus’ Hellenistic Divinization in Ovid’s Fasti and Suetonius’ Lives of the Caesars Darja Šterbenc Erker 4. Hellenic Horses: Domitianic vs. Augustan Hellenism in Statius, Silvae 1.1 Basil Dufallo 5. Space and Time, from Greek Myth to Roman Art Nathaniel B. Jones 6. The Statues of Nike from Oplontis: Decor et Duplicatio Revisited Elaine K. Gazda 7. Revisionist Representations of Early Latin Poetry: Horace and the ‘Hellenistic’ Aesthetics of Ennius Riemer A. Faber 8. Apuleius’ Metamorphoses, Vergil’s Eclogues, and the Varying Challenges of Greek Genres Luca Graverini 9. Roman Hellenism and Republican Architecture: The Genesis of the Corinthian Order Marcello Mogetta 10. Portraiture in the Greek East in the Roman Period: The View from the Athenian Agora Sheila Dillon Epilogue: Cultural Dynamics and Influences Martin Hose Bibliography List of Contributors  

Reviews

This is a valuable and rich contribution to an essential topic in ancient studies. The Roman interaction with Greek culture encompassed most areas of Roman culture. Compartmentalized studies have been the norm, and this broader perspective fills a real need. -Karl Galinsky, University of Texas This book provides a series of engaging, well-written, and well-conceived essays on a topic that will be of great interest to Greek and Roman scholars alike: Roman Hellenism. The contributors and editors have deftly provided a unified consideration of Roman Hellenism in text and material culture, and they are to be commended for writing a volume that bridges disciplinary divides and showcases how interdisciplinary discussions and analyses can further our understanding of multifaceted concepts like Roman Hellenism. -Brenda Longfellow, University of Iowa

“This is a valuable and rich contribution to an essential topic in ancient studies. The Roman interaction with Greek culture encompassed most areas of Roman culture. Compartmentalized studies have been the norm, and this broader perspective fills a real need.” —Karl Galinsky, University of Texas “This book provides a series of engaging, well-written, and well-conceived essays on a topic that will be of great interest to Greek and Roman scholars alike: Roman Hellenism. The contributors and editors have deftly provided a unified consideration of Roman Hellenism in text and material culture, and they are to be commended for writing a volume that bridges disciplinary divides and showcases how interdisciplinary discussions and analyses can further our understanding of multifaceted concepts like Roman Hellenism.” —Brenda Longfellow, University of Iowa

Author Information

Basil Dufallo is Professor of Greek and Latin at the University of Michigan. Riemer A. Faber is Professor of Classical Studies at the University of Waterloo.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

No review item found!

Add your own review!

Countries Available

All regions