Heart of rome : ancient rome's political culture.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Blits, Jan H.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political culture--Rome--History.

Political culture.

Political culture--Rome--History--Sources.

Rome--Politics and government--265-30 B.C.

Rome.

Physical Description:

xv, 300 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham : Lexington Books, 2013.

Summary:

The chapters in The Heart of Rome: Ancient Rome's Political Culture examine the political activities and institutions of pre-Imperial Rome in conjunction with the habits of the hearts and minds of the Romans. Relying on the writings of ancient authors, the chapters analyze significant political developments and events, attempting to draw out the meaning of what the authors say and imposing no theory on the ancient writings. Nor do they pursue the methodological techniques of contemporary historiography. While avoiding such common present-day anachronisms, they take their guidance directly from the ancient historians themselves and examine their understanding of Rome's political history and culture. Harking back to the ancient view that a political culture or regime is both a city's form of government and its way of life, the chapters, trying to be true to the full character of Roman political life, seek to understand the political activities and the souls of the Romans, and to understand each in the light of the other. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Rome and the Sea 1

2 Hannibal and Roman Blunders 17

3 The Power of Spectacle 35

4 Roman Memory and Time 55

5 Public Life, Private Virtue: The Roman Censorship 75

6 The Decay of Politics and the Growth of Philosophy 93

7 Endemic Monarchism and Emergent Caesarism 113.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0739189204

9780739189207

OCLC:

860394713