Twelve Caesars: Images of Power from the Ancient World to the Modern

Images of Roman emperors have been emblems for centuries, even as they change in meaning and medium throughout time, from sculptures to coins to tapestries to paintings. Classicist Beard (Univ. of Cambridge; SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome) argues, with characteristic incisive prose and wit, that we can learn much about an era from its images of the central “Twelve Caesars” and the way they were used and understood at that time (despite disagreement on that canon of caesars). She also argues that in spite of the evolution of the Twelve Caesars in image and concept, some aspects of the narrative never changed. Beard explains that wishful thinking and misreadings of Latin abound in establishing the identities and provenances of artworks and antiquities depicting Roman emperors. When the symbolism of a portrait would seem to go against the ideological tenor of its era, Beard cuts through scholarly speculation; she points out that anachronism might result from simple misidentification or the prosaic decorative and acquisitive aspects of collecting imperial images. Assembling a full set of caesars was, and is, a common pursuit of collectors, Beard writes, and for rich and powerful collectors, it was all the better if the portraits tied their owner’s legacy to the continuity of Roman power. Extensive illustrations of emperors and their likenesses are featured throughout the book.