Principate Focus Group

[Ursus]

While trying to be conversant in all areas of Roman history, I nonetheless had the Augustan Age as my first love when I first came to this site. Almost 3 years later, though I have learned many new things, it is still where my heart resides.

 

I was wondering if we could launch an informal focus group on the Principate, whose job would be to provide book reviews and "scholarly" articles on the era from post-Actium to roughly the fall of the Severans. Politics, military, biographies, culture and daily life - anything is fair game.

 

If anyone is interested, reply here.

[Nephele]

I've pretty much committed myself eventually to doing a review of Professor Davis' A Day in Old Rome, a long-time favorite book of mine which describes "what an intelligent person would have witnessed in Ancient Rome if by some legerdemain he had been translated to... the year 134." So, put me down as a Principate lover.

 

-- Nephele

[Divi Filius]

While the early principate has fallen out of favor with me due to my rising interest in the later empire, Im still game. It seems that the forum's "empire" section seems to revolve mostly around this period... so I guess there is no reason to fight.

 

I have been thinking of a new article: Frontiers/Borders of early Principate, which I have been trying to accumulate as much reading material as possible for.

 

Plus I plan on reviewing Rome and the Enemy -- which deals specifically with this time-frame -- as soon as I completely finish it.

Edited April 1, 2007 by Divi Filius

[Ursus]

I was hoping for a larger response, but am looking forward to the two proposed works listed here.

[caldrail]

A part of me still hankers after those heady days following Augustus. The Julio-Claudians may have been murderous, bizarre, self-important, arrogant wastrels, but they had class!

 

Another reason I like the period is that it follows a time of civil strife and uncertainty. So, we have something like the Restoration, or the Roaring Twenties, or the Swingin Sixties. A time when people were basically trying to let their hair down and enjoy themselves. Its a colourful period and when we think of the empire, its the principate that first comes to mind.

Edited April 7, 2007 by caldrail

[Ursus]

The Augusta has stated she will be part of the focus group as well ... as I had hoped and expected.

 

I suppose this will be our group, then. Looking forward to the articles and reviews.

[suzhannah]

P;ease put me down, but for this summer i have a thesis to write about octavians rise to power, however, i did get an A in my BA principate answer only last year, so that being the case lets hope i remember enough to join in. The julio/claudians and the year of the four emperors swung it for me in the exam. Lets hope at my mature student status of the over 40's that i can be of some help when my thesis is completed. in the meantime i will look in to see how the Proposed Principate forum is doing.

 

all the best, suzhannah.

[suzhannah]

Sorry about last post and the many typo's, never had my glasses on

suzhannah.

[The Augusta]

The Augusta has stated she will be part of the focus group as well ... as I had hoped and expected.

 

I suppose this will be our group, then. Looking forward to the articles and reviews.

 

Ursus - I don't want this thread to grow cold, so I'm bumping it a bit. Have you any particular topic you would like me to work on? Are you still interested in a series on the women for instance? This was aired before by Julia Caesaris and myself - and Julia was to have first go with her bio of Julia the Elder, but she's probably busy as she hasn't been on for a while. I would be happy to start off with a few little short biographies - Liv, Antonia, Julia, Octavia, Messalina, the two Pina's et al if you like. But if you wish me to do something more in depth please let me know. I have a half-finished bio of Salvidienus on my hard drive, but I'm not sure he'd fit in with this project. I wouldn't mind doing something on the rise and fall of Sejanus, or the Piso affair...whatever - just give me the nod in the direction you want. (If you were happy to have a bio of Liv - I could do it in half an hour!).

 

And another question? Do we post them here in this thread or PM them to you for collection elsewhere? (Brain still slightly befogged after the York meet where beer flowed in abundance...)

[Ursus]

I think anything is relevant as long as it fits in with our timeframe of Augustus to roughly the Severans. I need to do something myself besides planning, and shall as soon as work permits.

 

I am tempted to say let's do something along the lines of a concerted effort - a compendium. However, everytime I suggest something along those lines it meets with disaster - people not able to meet their deadlines, etc.

[caldrail]

Then why not draw up a list of potential topics, and allow the members to complete essays or whatever on the subjects on a more informal basis? No need to allocate subjects as such, so there would be a small competitive edge to it. best work goes forward as it were, or even combine work from different authors at a later date depending on which points they covered. In this way people can write at their own pace and cover subjects they wish to. Of course you could always ask someone to put something forward for unpopular themes.

[Nephele]

Then why not draw up a list of potential topics, and allow the members to complete essays or whatever on the subjects on a more informal basis? No need to allocate subjects as such, so there would be a small competitive edge to it. best work goes forward as it were, or even combine work from different authors at a later date depending on which points they covered. In this way people can write at their own pace and cover subjects they wish to. Of course you could always ask someone to put something forward for unpopular themes.

 

Ooo, if we do that, then I've got dibs on Roman naming practices during the Principate! And, yes, the style of Roman personal names did change during that era, with cognomina starting to be used more as praenomina by men.

 

-- Nephele

[Ursus]

I think the best thing is for those interested to simply write on whatever topic compells them (and again, anything within the timeframe is relevant). They can post them as they become available.

 

All I am trying to achieve is for us to beef up the site's articles, reviews and discussions for this era. The Late Republic needs no such encouragement. The other eras of history may need a little infusion to be competitive. Other people can be team leaders for the early Republic or Byzantine eras.

[Ursus]

Some suggestions on topics:

 

* General historical overviews

* Specific political topics (e.g., the legate system of governing the provinces)

* Biographies

* Culture and Daily Life issues (may need to be posted in Roman Humanities folders)

* The legions during the Principate (post in Legion folder)

* Book reviews regarding the principate (mail to Primus Pilus, will be posted in Libri folder)

* The provinces and allied cultures during the Principate (may need to be posted in the Forum Peregrini)

 

One thing I personally am especially interested in is Romanization during the Principate. This topic blends quite a few of the items above. If we ever have another essay contest, I might have to enter with an essay on it.

[The Augusta]

Well there's certainly enough there to be going on with, Ursus. Just one last question: how scholarly do you want to articles/posts to be? Would a general bibliography added at the end be sufficient, or are you looking along the lines of strict footnotes etc?