Despite the fact that the Roman Republic came to an undeniable end in 31 BC with the accession of the emperor Augustus, the memory of the Republic persisted. This book explores how that memory manifested itself, serving as an avenue for dissent as well as imperial propaganda, before gradually fading over the course of the early Empire (AD 14-117). Presenting case-studies of several imperial authors and key Roman monuments, it also examines the close relationship between memory and history in Roman thought, informed by modern studies of historical memory.
Contents
1. Historia/memoria; 2. Res publica tiberiana; 3: 'Caesar, now be still'; 4. Rome's new past; 5. Remembering Rome.
Reviews
Gowing's study will be essential reading for graduate students and scholars in ancient history, literature and art. It makes a substantial contribution to understanding the contentious area where republican history and imperial ideology intersect. Highly recommended. -- Choice
"Gowing offers a compelling description of the diachronic transformation of fragmented history...as a result of its appropriation by different ideologies and political agendas, all of which aspire to situate it within their own cultural and political capital. This book will surely become a staple in the reference lists of all those specializing in the early imperial period, but there is also much in it to merit the attention of any classicist more broadly interested in imperial cultural studies."
Sophia Papaioannou, The Classical Bulletin
"...Gowing has produced a valuable text for courses on memory." --S. J. V. Malloch, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat: Classical World
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