ImperialIdealsintheRomanWest:Representation,Circulation,Power

ThisbookexaminesthefigureoftheRomanemperorasaunifyingsymbolforthewesternempire.ItdocumentsanextensivecorrespondencebetweentheidealscitedinhonorificinscriptionsfortheemperorerectedacrosstheWesternEmpireandthoseadvertisedonimperialcoinsmintedatRome.Thisrevealsthatthedisseminationofspecificimperialidealswasmorepervasivethanpreviouslythought,andindicatesahighdegreeofideologicalunificationamongstthearistocraciesofthewesternprovinces.Thewidespreadcirculationofaparticularsetofimperialideals,andtheparticularformofideologicalunificationthatthisbroughtabout,notonlyreinforcedthepoweroftheRomanimperialstate,butalsoincreasedtheauthorityoflocalaristocrats,therebyfacilitatingageneralconvergenceofsocialpowerthatdefinedthehighRomanempire.