As the blurb of the book claims, scholarship about the Roman world has been moving away from a highly centralised discussion of the role of the emperor and the Eternal City, to a more holistic engagement with the provinces and the ideas around identity. The deep dive into the relationship between Rome and the Jewish people, their religion and culture that forms the third part of the book is a particular highlight. The exploration of the topic of Jewish identity through different periods within Roman history on a macro and micro level, and through different source material, is effective and captivating.
For teachers, chapters of this book are of particular usefulness when delivering content ahead of national exams in Key Stage 4 and 5. Finkelberg's chapter on the ‘Roman Reception of the Trojan War’ and Brelaz's chapter on ‘Claiming Roman Origins: Greek Cities and the Roman Colonial Pattern’ provided supplementary information and perspectives for some modules within the Latin and Classical Civilisation GCSEs and A Levels; however, they cannot be described as essential reading for those courses. Nonetheless, the book as a whole can provide teachers with excellent materials and topics for discussion to stretch students of all ages beyond what the curriculum can offer. The relevance to contemporary debates around identity in all its forms, including ethnicity, nationality, race, culture and religion, can be found throughout all of the contributions. This central theme gives the reader a strong sense of connectedness and continuity throughout the whole collection.
With students being more engaged with the broader movement around decolonisation and diversity within scholarship, in particular engaging with their subjects from different perspectives, this book presents them with the opportunity to do so effectively. While written in an academic register perhaps inaccessible to Key Stage 3 students, those interested in the Roman world, and looking to engage in discussions around identity and cultural diversity, will feel incredibly satisfied having read this particular text. Dueck's chapter on ‘Ethnic Types and Stereotypes in Ancient Latin Idioms’ provides ample food for thought on how language holds enormous amounts of power, and direct parallels can be drawn with how we use language today. Additionally, the chapter by Shaw on ‘Ethnicity and Empire’ provides an insight into how identity around ethnicity developed and was displayed and worn. Classicists will also gain an appreciation of how, with so many different cultures, ethnicities and beliefs coming into contact with each other, individuals and communities chose to exhibit their own culture, as well as how Romanisation affected those identities.
This fantastic book, with beautiful figures concentrated in the final two chapters which look more in depth at the archaeological aspects of two legionary bases, would be a welcome addition to any library.
Open access
