Roman Political Thought: From Cicero to AugustineRoman Political Thought is the first comprehensive treatment of the political thought of the Romans. Dean Hammer argues that the Romans were engaged in a wide-ranging and penetrating reflection on politics. The Romans did not create utopias. Instead, their thinking was relentlessly shaped by their own experiences of violence, the enormity and frailty of power, and an overwhelming sense of loss of the traditions that oriented them to their responsibilities as social, political, and moral beings. However much the Romans are known for their often complex legal and institutional arrangements, the power of their political thought lies in their exploration of the extra-institutional, affective foundations of political life. The book includes chapters on Cicero, Lucretius, Sallust, Virgil, Livy, Seneca, Tacitus, Marcus Aurelius, and Augustine and discussions of Polybius, the Stoics, Epicurus, and Epictetus. |
Contents
The principate | 19 |
To save the res publica | 26 |
Cicero natural law and social duty | 38 |
The mixed constitution and the negotiation of power | 48 |
The role of the people | 58 |
The senatus consultum ultimum | 67 |
philosophy care and the limits of Stoicism | 79 |
The poetics of power | 93 |
Inciting liberty | 242 |
Seneca and jurisdiction | 271 |
De clementia and jurisdiction | 278 |
The political psychology of despotism | 321 |
Marcus Aurelius and the Cosmopolis | 358 |
Political thought as confession | 382 |
Bibliography | 431 |
| 505 | |
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Common terms and phrases
¼ SVF actions Aeneas Aeneid ancient Arendt argues Asmis associated atoms auctoritas Augustine Augustine’s Augustus become body Caesar Cambridge University Press Catiline Cato Chapt Cicero citizens claim Classical conception Conf corruption culture decemviri desire despotism Edited emperor empire Epict Epictetus Epicurean Epicurus example experience fear Georgics glory gods Greek Griffin human imperial imperium individual Jugurtha jurisdiction justice Kapust language liberty Livy Livy’s Lucretius Marcus Markus memory mind moral mos maiorum nature nature’s Nero notion one’s oneself orat orient Oxford philosophic pietas Plato plebs poem poetry Polybius potestas princeps Raaflaub reason relationship res publica rhetoric role Roman political thought Roman Republic Rome Rome’s Sallust Schofield seeks senate Seneca sense social society soul Stoic Stoicism suggests Syme Tacitus things Tiberius tradition tribunes trin Tusc Verginia violence Virgil virtue Wirszubski writes