From barbarians to new men

Clarendon Press

1995

xiii, 255 pages

Oxford classical monographs

9780198150213

Map: The Peoples of Central Italy by the Early Third Century BC -- pt. I. Greek and Roman Contexts. 1. Greek Contexts. 2. Roman Contexts -- pt. II. Local Society. 3. Mountain Society. 4. Rural Piety, Witches, and Snake-charmers: Religion in the Central Apennines. 5. Questions of Identity amongst the Peoples of the Central Apennines -- Appendix A: Occurrences of the Name Safin-- Appendix B: Uses of the Ethnic Sabellus in Latin and Greek

The Central Apennine peoples, represented alternatively as decadent and dangerous snake-charming barbarians or as personifications of manly wisdom and virtue, as austere and worthy 'new men', were important figures in Greek and Roman ideology. Concentrating on the period between the later fourth century BC and the aftermath of the Social War, this book considers the ways in which Greek and Roman perceptions of these peoples developed, reflecting both the shifting needs of Greek and Roman societies and the character of interaction between the various cultures of ancient Italy. Most importantly, it illuminates the development of a specifically Roman identity, through the creation of an ideology of incorporation. The book is also about the interface between these attitudes and the self-perception of local communities in Italy, illuminated by means of both literary and archaeological evidence

Английский