Velleius Paterculus: Making History

by Eleanor Cowan (Editor)

Overview

Velleius Paterculus' short work is the earliest surviving attempt on the part of a post-Augustan historian to survey the history of the res publica from its origins to his own times. In a period from which no other contemporary historical narrative survives in more than meagre fragments, Velleius' work is uniquely important. It is a critical counter to the later accounts of Tacitus, Suetonius and Cassius Dio, not simply because it offers a different view of Tiberius, but because Velleius saw continuity where later authors saw only radical change which destroyed the Republic and put monarchy in its place. For other reasons, too, Velleius occupies a unique position in Roman historiography. This collection of papers, by a distinguished cast of scholars, represents a wide-ranging re-examination of Velleius' work, of its place within, and contribution to, Roman historiography and the intellectual history of the early Principate.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781905125456
Publisher:	Classical Press of Wales, The
Publication date:	12/31/2010
Pages:	308
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.17(h) x 0.90(d)

Table of Contents

Note on contributors vii

Introduction Eleanor Cowan ix

Part I Velleius

1 Velleius Paterculus as Senator: a dream with footnotes Barbara Levick 1

2 Time for Italy in Velleius Paterculus Edward Bispham 17

3 A page in the history of Campania Maria Elefante 59

Part II Historiography and Intertextuality

4 Velleius' history: genre and purpose John Rich 73

5 Transit admiratio: memoria, invidia, and the historian W. Martin Bloomer 93

6 Explanations in Velleius John Marincola 121

7 Velleius 2.30.6 and Tacitus, Histories 4.81.2: accomplishing allusion Victoria Emma Pagán 141

8 Velleius and biography: the case of Julius Caesar Christopher Pelling 157

Part III Roman Themes, Roman Values

9 Roman values in Velleius Ulrich Schmitzer 177

10 Resuscitating a text: Velleius' history as cultural evidence John Alexander Lobur 203

11 Velleius 2.124.2 and the reluctant Princeps: the evolution of Roman perceptions of leadership Tom Hillard 219

12 The stones of blood: family, monumentality, and memory in Velleius' second century Luke Pitcher 253

13 Heroism and despair in Velleius' republican narrative Catherine Steel 265

Part IV Velleius And...

14 Velleius and the games T. P. Wiseman 279

15 Paene omnium vitiorum expers, nisi...: Velleius on Pompey Robin Seager 287

16 Velleius and Livia: making a portrait Kathryn Welch 309

17 Velleius and the Princeps Romani nominis Eleanor Cowan 335

Consolidated bibliography 347

Index 369

Index of passages cited 376

Editorial Reviews

The fit and finish of this volume are superb, in keeping with The Classical Press of Wales’ standards.

Journal of Roman Studies, Issue 103 (2013) - Emil. A. Kramer