Introduction

This book consists of a series of case studies examining the representation of Roman emperors across more than two thousand years of history from antiquity to the present. The case studies cover a range of different texts, media, and contexts, ranging from histories, coins, and statues of the Roman imperial period to twentieth-century novels and museum exhibitions. This introductory chapter sets out the methodological and theoretical frameworks for the case studies and the volume as a whole. It first examines the mechanics of representation and theories of classical reception before exploring several key themes: the relationship between history and fiction; the rhetoric and creativity of images; the transmission of the Roman past; and the representation of Rome in imperialistic contexts.