The Death of Myth on Roman Sarcophagi by Mont Allen

The Death of Myth on Roman Sarcophagi by Mont Allen

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Summary

This book will appeal to those interested in the power of funerary art to shape views of life and death; in how ancient peoples used mythology to make sense of their world and their final departure from it; and in the relationship between late Roman and early Christian imagery.

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The Death of Myth on Roman Sarcophagi by Mont Allen

A strange thing happened to Roman sarcophagi in the third century:  their Greek mythic imagery vanished. Since the beginning of their production a century earlier, these beautifully carved coffins had featured bold mythological scenes. How do we make sense of this imagery's own death on later sarcophagi, when mythological narratives were truncated, gods and heroes were excised, and genres featuring no mythic content whatsoever came to the fore? What is the significance of such a profound tectonic shift in the Roman funerary imagination for our understanding of Roman history and culture, for the development of its arts, for the passage from the High to the Late Empire and the coming of Christianity, but above all, for the individual Roman women and men who chose this imagery, and who took it with them to the grave? In this book, Mont Allen offers the clues that aid in resolving this mystery.
'I heartily recommend this book for scholars and students seeking new perspective on style and changing trends in Roman art broadly as well as for those wanting to drive discussion in a special topics class or graduate seminar … a successful, engaging, and compelling contribution to the field of Roman art history, particularly in the immense subfield of sarcophagi' J. Cody Houseman, Bryn Mawr Classical Review
Mont Allen is Associate Professor of Classics and Art History at Southern Illinois University. A National Lecturer for the Archeological Institute of America, he is a recipient of the University's Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award as well as a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to create an inter-disciplinary program on Ancient Practices.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9781316510919
ISBN 10 1316510913
Title The Death of Myth on Roman Sarcophagi
Author Mont Allen
Series Greek Culture In The Roman World
Condition Unavailable
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Year published 2022-12-29
Number of pages 325
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note Unavailable