In this book, Maggie Popkin offers an in-depth investigation of souvenirs, a type of ancient Roman object that has been understudied and that is unfamiliar to many people. Souvenirs commemorated places, people, and spectacles in the Roman Empire. Straddling the spheres of religion, spectacle, leisure, and politics, they serve as a unique resource for exploring the experiences, interests, imaginations, and aspirations of a broad range of people - beyond elite, metropolitan men - who lived in the Roman world. Popkin shows how souvenirs generated and shaped memory and knowledge, as well as constructed imagined cultural affinities across the empire's heterogeneous population. At the same time, souvenirs  strengthened local identities, but excluded certain groups from the social participation that souvenirs made available to so many others. Featuring a full illustration program of 137 color and black and white images, Popkin's book demonstrates the critical role that souvenirs played in shaping how Romans perceived and conceptualized their world, and their relationships to the empire that shaped it.

'… showcase(s) a truly unexpected range of ancient memorabilia, many of which are usually kept within museum stores …'

Mary Beard Source: Times Literary Supplement

‘As the author ably demonstrates, ancient Roman souvenirs are of interest on many accounts, not least for the window on the world they provided to their ancient owners…This is an unusually perceptive, engaging, and thoroughly readable study, originating in a small but representative sample of artifacts rarely featured in the archaeological literature. The author is to be congratulated for both recognizing their value and making them sing.’

Karl M. Petruso Source: American Journal of Archaeology

‘This book demonstrates that objects purchased and then transported home created not just memories of travel, but also articulated the meaning of those places, people or spectacles…This is a beautiful book…also a great read and thought-provoking, and it allows readers to run further with the ideas presented.’

Ray Laurence Source: The Classical Review

‘This is an unusually perceptive, engaging, and thoroughly readable study, originating in a small but representative sample of artifacts rarely featured in the archaeological literature. The author is to be congratulated for both recognizing their value and making them sing.’

Karl M. Petruso Source: American Journal of Archaeology