A companion to Neronian literature & culture

An authoritative overview and helpful resource for students and scholars of Roman history and Latin literature during the reign of Nero. The first book of its kind to treat this era, which has gained in popularity in recent years Makes much important research available in English for the first time Features a balance of new research with established critical lines Offers an unusual breadth and range of material, including substantial treatments of politics, administration, the imperial court, art, archaeology, literature and reception studies Includes a mix of established scholars and groundbreaking new voices Includes detailed maps and illustrations Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 5 Copyright......Page 6 Contents......Page 9 List of Illustrations......Page 13 Notes on Contributors......Page 15 Acknowledgments......Page 19 Introduction: The Neronian (Literary) ``Renaissance''......Page 21 The Neronian Literary Triad: Seneca, Lucan, and Petronius......Page 26 Conclusion......Page 32 References......Page 33 Part I Nero......Page 35 The Training and Pastimes of Princes......Page 37 Music and Musical Performance in Nero’s Rome......Page 40 Acceptable Diversions / Voluptates Concessae......Page 45 References......Page 48 The First Assessments......Page 49 Cassius Dio......Page 51 Tacitus......Page 53 Suetonius......Page 58 Conclusion......Page 61 References......Page 62 Breaking with Tradition......Page 65 Greek Culture at the Imperial Court......Page 66 Caesar Omnia Habet: It’s a Rich Man’s World......Page 67 Like the Gleaming Sun......Page 68 Greek Theatrical Culture in Rome......Page 70 Lord of the Golden Age......Page 71 Festival Victor and Benefactor of all Greeks......Page 73 The Last Act: Triumph and On-Stage Death......Page 76 Further Reading......Page 79 References......Page 80 Part II The Empire......Page 83 Chapter 4 The Empire in the Age of Nero......Page 85 The Principate......Page 86 Governing the Provinces......Page 91 Power and Privilege in the Roman Empire......Page 95 References......Page 99 Chapter 5 Apollo in Arms: Nero at the Frontier......Page 103 The Western Empire......Page 105 The Eastern Empire: The Black Sea and Armenia (see Map 1)......Page 106 Plans in Ethiopia and the Caucasus......Page 116 Conclusions......Page 119 References......Page 120 Chapter 6 Domus Neroniana: The Imperial Household in the Age of Nero......Page 122 Further Reading......Page 136 References......Page 137 Nero’s Priestly Offices......Page 138 The Worship of the Imperial Family in Rome......Page 139 Emperor Cult outside Rome......Page 145 Literary Representations of the Dichotomy Religion/Superstition......Page 146 Religion and Superstition in the Satyrica......Page 149 Further Reading......Page 151 References......Page 152 Introduction......Page 154 Cornutus......Page 157 Musonius Rufus......Page 159 Seneca......Page 162 De Clementia......Page 163 Conclusion......Page 166 Further Reading......Page 167 References......Page 168 Part III Literature, Art, and Architecture......Page 169 Chapter 9 Seneca, Apocolocyntosis......Page 171 Menippean Monarchy......Page 172 Who’s Laughing Anyway?......Page 175 De-deification......Page 177 Problems with Praise......Page 181 Further Reading......Page 185 References......Page 186 Carmina Einsidlensia......Page 190 Calpurnius Siculus, Eclogues......Page 196 Further Reading......Page 204 References......Page 205 Introduction: The Writings of Seneca the Younger......Page 208 One’s Place In The Universe: Naturales Quaestiones (Natural Questions)......Page 211 How To Be ‘‘Indifferent’’ Towards Politics, Friends, and Family: Dialogi (Dialogues)......Page 213 The Care of the Self, unto Itself: Epistulae Morales (Moral Letters)......Page 217 L. Annaeus Seneca, Stoicus Sui Generis......Page 221 References......Page 222 Preliminaries......Page 224 Tragedy and Philosophy......Page 225 ‘‘Let no new thing arise’’: Senecan Intertextuality......Page 231 The Politics of Senecan Tragedy......Page 236 Further Reading......Page 239 References......Page 240 Lucan as Epic Successor and Innovator......Page 245 The Bellum Civile and the Aeneid......Page 247 Roman Values......Page 249 Caesar, Pompey, Cato......Page 251 The Narrator’s Voice, The Reader’s Gaze......Page 254 The Cloud of Unknowing......Page 256 Pathos, Hyperbole, Paradox......Page 257 References......Page 259 Cast of Satyrs......Page 261 Petronius and the Picaresque Novel......Page 262 Filling in the Gaps......Page 263 Through the Peep holes......Page 266 Looking down on Trimalchio......Page 268 Making Virgil Blush......Page 270 Audience Responses......Page 272 Eumolpus and Educational Guidance......Page 274 References......Page 276 Chapter 15 Persius......Page 278 Further Reading......Page 291 References......Page 292 Background......Page 295 Genre......Page 296 Work......Page 297 Sources......Page 301 Style......Page 302 Mos Maiorum and Columella’s Contemporary Readers......Page 303 Reception......Page 306 References......Page 307 Roman Writing about Nature......Page 308 A Moral Universe: Luxury and Extravagance at Rome......Page 312 Nero and the Natural World......Page 315 Further Reading......Page 319 References......Page 320 Chapter 18 Greek Literature Under Nero......Page 322 Two Influential Starting Points......Page 324 From Rhetoric to Philosophy......Page 326 True philosophy to be looked at: the Tabula Cebetis......Page 327 Philosophy for the Soul / Medicine for the Body......Page 328 Seasoning Literature with Wit: The Epigram......Page 329 The Beginning of Something New: Christian Theology and the Letters of Paul......Page 331 Further Reading......Page 332 References......Page 333 Public Buildings and their Function......Page 334 Nero’s Palace Complexes in Rome......Page 342 Conclusion......Page 348 References......Page 349 Nero’s Portraits......Page 352 Memoria Damnata. The Removal of Nero’s Portraits after his Death......Page 359 The Comparison of Nero with Apollo and the Sun God......Page 360 Sculptures of the Neronian Period?......Page 371 Interpreting Nero: Past and Present Scholarship......Page 373 Interpreting Nero in Context......Page 375 References......Page 378 Chapter 21 Neronian Wall-Painting. A Matter of Perspective......Page 383 Nature and Space: Beyond Trompe-L’Oeil......Page 385 Space and Narrative: The Theater as Perspectival Tool......Page 388 Narrative and Perception: The Theming of Space......Page 391 The Domus Aurea: The Art of Pervasive Confinement......Page 394 Neronian Wall-Painting in Perspective......Page 397 References......Page 399 Part IV Reception......Page 403 Nero in Jewish Tradition: Destroyer of the Holy Nation, Father of Rabbis, Redivivus......Page 405 The Number of the Beast: Nero as Persecutor, Heretic, Antichrist in Earliest Christianity......Page 408 The Great Presumption of Interpretation: Nero in Early Christianity......Page 411 Nero’s Long Shadow: The Life and Times of a Tyrant in Medieval, Renaissance, and Reformation Tradition......Page 414 Further Reading......Page 420 References......Page 421 Chapter 23 Haec Monstra Edidit. Translating Lucan in the Early Seventeenth Century......Page 425 The Shadow of Scaliger......Page 427 Lucan among the Protestants......Page 429 Lucan in the Netherlands......Page 431 Grotius’ Lucan and the Twelve Year Truce......Page 433 Lucan in Dutch......Page 435 Lucan’s Challenge......Page 437 Further Reading......Page 439 References......Page 440 Chapter 24 Haunted by Horror: The Ghost of Seneca in Renaissance Drama......Page 445 Further Reading......Page 461 References......Page 462 Chapter 25 ``Fantasies so Varied and Bizarre'': The Domus Aurea, the Renaissance, and the ``Grotesque''......Page 464 ‘‘Breaking our Backbones on our Knees’’......Page 466 Seeing Beyond the Vanishing Point......Page 470 From Margins to Centre......Page 474 A Visually Mediated Discourse of Renaissance Visuality......Page 480 Further Reading......Page 481 References......Page 482 Epilogue......Page 485 Nero the Hero......Page 487 Theatre in Particular......Page 489 Further Reasons: Greek Identity under Roman rule......Page 491 Further Reasons: Politicians and Spin......Page 492 Nero the Showman in the Ancient Historical Sources......Page 493 Tacitus in Particular......Page 494 The Pace of Tacitus’ Narrative......Page 498 Nero in the Fictional Dialogue Nero......Page 499 References......Page 500 Index......Page 501 Supplemental Images......Page 507 Provides an authoritative overview and helpful resource for students and scholars of Roman history and Latin literature during the reign of Nero. It offers an unusual breadth and range of material, including substantial treatments of politics, administration, the imperial court, art, archaeology, literature and reception studies