Models From the Past in Roman Culture : A World of Exempla

Historical examples played a key role in ancient Roman culture, and Matthew B. Roller's book presents a coherent model for understanding the rhetorical, moral, and historiographical operations of Roman exemplarity. It examines the process of observing, evaluating, and commemorating noteworthy actors, or deeds, and then holding those performances up as norms by which to judge subsequent actors or as patterns for them to imitate. The model is fleshed out via detailed case studies of individual exemplary performers, the monuments that commemorate them, and the later contexts - the political arguments and social debates - in which these figures are invoked to support particular positions or agendas. Roller also considers the boundaries of, and ancient alternatives to, exemplary modes of argumentation, morality, and historical thinking. The book will engage anyone interested in how societies, from ancient Rome to today, invoke past performers and their deeds to address contemporary concerns and interests. Cover -- Half-title -- Title page -- Copyright information -- Dedication -- Table of contents -- List of Illustrations -- Acknowledgments -- List of abbreviations -- Map of the principal monuments and sites discussed in this book -- Introduction -- 0.1 Why This Book? -- 0.2 An Example of a Roman Exemplum -- 0.3 A General Model of Roman Exemplarity -- 0.3.1 Action -- 0.3.2 Evaluation -- 0.3.3 Commemoration -- 0.3.4 Norm Setting -- 0.4 Supplemental Comments on the Model -- 0.5 Three Cultural Dimensions of Roman Exemplarity -- 0.5.1 The Rhetorical Dimension -- 0.5.2 The Moral or Ethical Dimension -- 0.5.3 The Historiographical Dimension -- 0.6 This Book's Contribution -- 0.7 Plan of This Book -- Chapter 1 Horatius Cocles -- 1.1 Introduction: Horatius as Exemplary Exemplum -- 1.2 Commemorating the Great Deed: Horatius' Monuments -- 1.2.1 The "Path of Cocles"--1.2.2 The Pons Sublicius -- 1.2.3 Wound to the Hip or Leg -- 1.2.4 Cognomen and Eye -- 1.2.5 Medallion -- 1.2.6 Statue -- 1.3 Normative Horatius: Standard-Setting and Imitation -- 1.4 Rhetorical and Moral Dynamics of the Horatius Exemplum -- Chapter 2 Cloelia -- 2.1 Introduction: Cloelia as Imitator of Horatius -- 2.2 On Timelessness: Monumental Encounters between Past and Present -- 2.3 The "Manly Maiden" -- 2.4 Cloelia's Statue -- 2.5 Judging Morals, Typicality, and Uniqueness across Time -- Chapter 3 Appius Claudius Caecus -- 3.1 Introduction: Appius "Live" -- 3.2 Livy's Appius: Exemplary Performance in artes urbanae -- 3.3 Appius' Monuments: Deceptive, Contradictory, and Double-Edged -- 3.3.1 Via Appia, Aqua Appia -- 3.3.2 Temple of Bellona -- 3.3.3 Elogium from the Forum Augustum -- 3.3.4 Blindness and Cognomen -- 3.3.5 Speech Against Peace with Pyrrhus -- 3.4 Appius and His Descendants: Case Studies in Familial Exemplarity -- 3.5 One Hundred Hands, for Better or Worse Historical Examples Played A Key Role In Ancient Roman Culture, And Matthew Roller's Book Presents A Coherent Model For Understanding The Rhetorical, Moral, And Historiographical Operations Of Roman Exemplarity. It Examines The Process Of Observing, Evaluating, And Commemorating Noteworthy Actors Or Deeds, And Then Holding Those Performances Up As A Norms By Which To Judge Subsequent Actors Or As Patterns For Them To Imitate. The Model Is Fleshed Out Via Detailed Case Studies Of Individual Exemplary Performers, The Monuments That Commemorate Them, And The Later Contexts--the Political Arguments And Social Debates--in Which These Figures Are Invoked To Support Particular Positions Or Agendas-- Introduction : The Work Of Examples -- Horatius Cocles : Commemorating And Imitating A Great Deed -- Cloelia : Timelessness And Gender -- Appius Claudius Caecus : Positive And Negative Exemplarity -- Gaius Duilius : Exemplarity And Innovation -- Fabius Cunctator : Competing Judgments And Moral Change -- Cornelia : An Exemplary Matrona Among The Gracchi -- Cicero's House And Aspiring To Kingship -- Conclusion : Exemplarity And Stoicism. Matthew B. Roller. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 290-312) And Indexes. FM......Page 1 Dedication......Page 5 Contents......Page 7 Illustrations......Page 10 Acknowledgments......Page 11 Abbreviations......Page 14 Map of the Principal Monuments and Sites Discussed in This Book......Page 16 Introduction......Page 21 1. Horatius Cocles - Commemorating and Imitating a Great Deed......Page 52 2. Cloelia - Timelessness and Gender......Page 86 3. Appius Claudius Caecus - Positive and Negative Exemplarity......Page 115 4. Gaius Duilius - Exemplarity and Innovation......Page 154 5. Fabius Cunctator - Competing Judgments and Moral Change......Page 183 6. Cornelia - An Exemplary matrona among the Gracchi......Page 217 7. Cicero’s House and “Aspiring to Kingship”......Page 253 Conclusion......Page 285 Bibliography......Page 310 Index Locorum......Page 333 General Index......Page 337 "Models from the Past in Roman Culture Historical examples played a key role in ancient Roman culture, and Matthew Roller's book presents a coherent model for understanding the rhetorical, moral, and historiographical operations of Roman exemplarity. It examines the process of observing, evaluating, and commemorating noteworthy actors or deeds, and then holding those performances up as a norms by which to judge subsequent actors or as patterns for them to imitate. The model is fleshed out via detailed case studies of individual exemplary performers, the monuments that commemorate them, and the later contexts - the political arguments and social debates - in which these figures are invoked to support particular positions or agendas"-- Provided by publisher This book investigates historical examples in Ancient Roman culture, presenting a coherent model for understanding their rhetorical, moral, and historiographical functions. It will engage anyone interested in how societies, from Ancient Rome to today, evaluate and commemorate past actors, and invoke them as norms or models for later imitation.