Alain M. Gowing

An interesting account of how the Roman Republic was remembered in the early Roman Empire. The author focuses on the literary works of about 8-10 imperial authors. Not all of them are historians. Towards the end there are also some chapters on how the changing architecture in Rome reflected the memory of the Republic. Cultural memory is a difficult topic to investigate but overall I think the author puts Roman memory and political ideas in good perspective. The non-expert can easily follow the argument, but some knowledge of Roman history and literature is a prerequisite since this book is intended primarily for an academic audience.… (meer)