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Poetics of the First Punic War

Thomas Biggs
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Poetics of the First Punic War investigates the literary afterlives of Rome's first conflict with Carthage. From its original role in the Middle Republic as the narrative proving ground for epic's development out of verse historiography, to its striking cultural reuse during the Augustan and Flavian periods, the First Punic War (264–241 BCE) holds an underappreciated place in the history of Latin literature. Because of the serendipitous meeting of historical content and poetic form in the third century BCE, a textualized First Punic War went on to shape the Latin language and its literary genres, the practices and politics of remembering war, popular visions of Rome as a cultural capital, and numerous influential conceptions of Punic North Africa. Poetics of the First Punic War combines innovative theoretical approaches with advances in the philological analysis of Latin literature to reassess the various "texts" of the First Punic War, including those composed by Vergil, Propertius, Horace, and Silius Italicus. This book also contains sustained treatment of Naevius' fragmentary Bellum Punicum (Punic War) and Livius Andronicus' Odusia (Odyssey), some of the earliest works of Latin poetry. As the tradition's primary Roman topic, the First Punic War is forever bound to these poems, which played a decisive role in transmitting an epic view of history.
  • Cover
  • Title Page
  • Copyright Page
  • Contents
  • Acknowledgments
  • Abbreviations, Texts, and Translations
  • Introduction
  • One. Rome, the Sea, and the “Roman Odyssey”
  • Two. Naevius’ First Punic War
  • Three. Mediated Memories
  • Four. An Augustan First Punic War
  • Five. The First Punic War in Silius Italicus’ Punica
  • Epilogue
  • Footnotes
  • Bibliography
  • Index Locorum
  • General Index
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Published: 2020
Publisher: University of Michigan Press
ISBN(s)
  • 978-0-472-13213-3 (hardcover)
  • 978-0-472-12713-9 (ebook)
Subject
  • Classical Studies:Roman

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Plate A contains eight images showcasing the obverse and reverse of four different circular Roman coins. Figure 1 displays both sides of a sextans. The obverse prominently depicts a seashell. The reverse depicts a caduceus, a staff associated with the god Mercury that contains two intertwined snakes at its top. Figure 2 is a triens that contains a dolphin on the obverse and a thunderbolt on the reverse. Figure 3 displays an as. The obverse displays a bi-form bearded head of the god Janus. The reverse depicts the prow of a Roman warship. Figure 4 is a denarius. The obverse displays the head of Pompeius Magnus. To the right of the head a trident is depicted. To the left, Latin text (a legend) contains the word NEPTVNI. The reverse depicts a ship with sail and sailors; to the upper left is a star. The legend below the image contains the text Q·NASIDIVS, a reference to the moneyer.

Photo plate with four Roman coins

Fig. 4. RRC 483/2, denarius, 44–43 BCE: obverse, head of Pompey the Great with trident, dolphin; reverse, ship, sailors, star. ANS 1935.117.24. (American Numismatic Society.)

Plate B contains eight images showcasing the obverse and reverse of four different circular Roman coins. Figure 1 contains a denarius. Its obverse depicts the laureate head of a young Octavian. The reverse depicts a column at the center that has three ship rams attached to each side and two anchors attached to its flank. Atop the column a male figure stands who is nude aside from a cloak. He leans on a spear (right hand) and holds a parazonium in his left hand. The Latin text IMP is located to left of the column, CAESAR to the right. Figure 2 is also a denarius. The obverse shows the head of a youthful Octavian. The reverse shows a military trophy, which consists of captured armor and weaponry on a tree or post. The trophy is set on top of a captured ship ram with anchor and rudder. The Latin text IMP is located to left of the column, CAESAR to the right. Fig. 3 is a denarius. The obverse shows the head of Marcus Antonius. The reverse is similar to that found on Figure 2, a military trophy with swords and shield atop prow and shield. Fig. 4 displays both sides of a denarius. The obverse depicts the laureate head of the emperor Titus. Latin text (the legend) surrounds the image and states, IMP TITVS CAES VESPASIAN AVG P M. The reverse depicts a statue of a radiate male on a rostral column, holding spear and parazonium. A legend surrounds the image: TR P VIIII IMP XIIII COS VII.

Photo plate 2 with four Roman coins

Fig. 4. RIC II 12 Vespasian 1066, denarius, 79 CE: obverse, laureate head of Vespasian; reverse, rostral column with radiate male figure holding spear. ANS 1944.100.39947. (American Numismatic Society.)

Figure 1 depicts a monument located in a fenced grassy area adjacent to the United States Capitol building, which is visible on the side of the image. The photograph is historic and shows the location around the year 1857. At the center, the Naval or Tripoli monument dominates the scene. The monument contains, from the top, an eagle and shield on a rostral column. Viewed from the side, the photograph shows three of the ship’s rams on the column; another three are not visible from this angle. Around the column and on a base below it a viewer encounters numerous relief sculptures, examples of freestanding figural statuary, and inscriptions. Important for this study are the small sculptures lining the upper edges of the column’s base that depict Orientalizing and caricaturesque faces meant to represent the peoples of the Maghreb.

Photo of Naval Monument at U.S. Capitol

Fig. 1. Tripoli Monument, photograph ca. 1857. (Architect of the Capitol.)

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