Description
Book SynopsisThis book will be of interest to any person, whether an interested party, student, or scholar of the Roman Empire. It highlights the way in which we should consider ancient figuresâbe they good or bad.
Trade ReviewAdams provides a welcome précis of his biographical-literary methods that reveal the intensely aretalogical aspect (narrating the mythical or miraculous deeds of a hero or god) in the Vita Marci Antonini Philosophi, set within the larger context of the historically and textually problematic Historia Augusta. The author acknowledges the earlier contributions of Joseph Schwendemann, André Chastagnol, Ronald Syme, and Robin Birley, and claims to publish the first in-depth commentary on the Vita Marci. He validates his claims through an insightful thematic analysis that focuses on the biographer's motivations, the probity of the Vita as a historical source, and the romantic memorialization of Marcus Aurelius as the ideal princeps. Adams presents a trenchantly detailed literary dissection of the Vita using a distinctive approach (complete with graphs) that focuses on the biographical elevation of thematic progression over historical fact. By contextualizing the Vita Marci, Adams demonstrates the consistent partiality toward the "character" of Marcus Aurelius evidenced within the entire corpus of the Historia Augusta. This is a highly specialized literary study demonstrating (and demanding) a virtuosic command of scholarship. It cuts across a broad spectrum of scholarly issues, and should appeal to advanced students of Roman imperial history and biography. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. * CHOICE *
Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter 1: The Vita Marci Antonini Philosophi and the Historia Augusta in its Biographical Context Chapter 2: Commentary on the Vita Marci Antonini Philosophi Chapter 3: Commentary on the Interpolation in the Vita Marci Antonini Philosophi Chapter 4: Marcus Aurelius’ General Representation in the Historia Augusta Chapter 5: Marcus Aurelius in the Third and Fourth Centuries AD Conclusions Appendix: The Vita Marci Antonini Philosophi: the Text and a Translation
