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Chapter 15 - Latin Literature and Roman History

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 January 2024

By
Myles Lavan
Edited by
Roy Gibson  and
Christopher Whitton
Roy Gibson
Affiliation:
University of Durham
Christopher Whitton
Affiliation:
University of Cambridge
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Summary

This chapter offers a perspective on Latin literature from the neighbouring field of Roman history. It discusses what appears to be a growing intellectual divide between the two fields, a divergence that is surprising given the increased focus on the politics of literature among Latinists. The essay also offers some suggestions for bridging the gap.I suggest that Latinists could take a much broader view of the structures of power in which Latin texts were embedded, rather than focusing on the phenomenon of autocracy and high politics, that they might profitably continue to extend their attention to non-literary texts and especially inscriptions, and that they could work harder to speak to historians.

Keywords

Latin literatureRoman historyinscriptionshistoriographypowerideology
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Critical Guide to Latin Literature , pp. 817 - 846
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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