Imperial Ideals in the Roman West Representation, Circulation, Power [Hardcover]

This book shows how the circulation of ideals associated with the Roman emperor generated ideological unification among aristocracies and reinforced Roman power.This book shows how the widespread circulation of a specific set of ideals and values associated with the Roman emperor not only generated ideological unification throughout the Roman empire, but also reinforced the political power of the Roman imperial state and the authority of local aristocrats in the western provinces.This book shows how the widespread circulation of a specific set of ideals and values associated with the Roman emperor not only generated ideological unification throughout the Roman empire, but also reinforced the political power of the Roman imperial state and the authority of local aristocrats in the western provinces.This book examines the figure of the Roman emperor as a unifying symbol for the western empire. It documents an extensive correspondence between the ideals cited in honorific inscriptions for the emperor erected across the western empire and those advertised on imperial coins minted at Rome. This reveals that the dissemination of specific imperial ideals was more pervasive than previously thought, and indicates a high degree of ideological unification amongst the aristocracies of the western provinces. The widespread circulation of a particular set of imperial ideals, and the particular form of ideological unification that this brought about, not only reinforced the power of the Roman imperial state, but also increased the authority of local aristocrats, thereby facilitating a general convergence of social power that defined the high roman empire.1. Introduction; Part I. Representation: Introduction to Part I: representation; 2. Values and virtues: the ethical profile of the emperor; 3. The benefits of empire and monarchy; Part II. Circulation: Introduction to Part II: circulation; 4. The diffusion of imperial ideals in time and space; 5. Central communication and local relÃÝ