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Roman Honor: The Fire in the Bones
This book is an attempt to coax Roman history closer to the bone, to the breath and matter of the living being. Drawing from a remarkable array of ancient and modern sources, Carlin Barton offers the most complex understanding to date of the emotional and spiritual life of the ancient Romans. Her provocative and original inquiry focuses on the sentiments of honor that shaped the Romans' sense of themselves and their society. Speaking directly to the concerns and curiosities of the contemporary reader, Barton brings Roman society to life, elucidating the complex relation between the inner life of its citizens and its social fabric.
Though thoroughly grounded in the ancient writings―especially the work of Seneca, Cicero, and Livy―this book also draws from contemporary theories of the self and social theory to deepen our understanding of ancient Rome. Barton explores the relation between inner desires and social behavior through an evocative analysis of the operation, in Roman society, of contests and ordeals, acts of supplication and confession, and the sense of shame. As she fleshes out Roman physical and psychological life, she particularly sheds new light on the consequential transition from republic to empire as a watershed of Roman social relations.
Barton's ability to build productively on both old and new scholarship on Roman history, society, and culture and her imaginative use of a wide range of work in such fields as anthropology, sociology, psychology, modern history, and popular culture will make this book appealing for readers interested in many subjects. This beautifully written work not only generates insight into Roman history, but also uses that insight to bring us to a new understanding of ourselves, our modern codes of honor, and why it is that we think and act the way we do.
Though thoroughly grounded in the ancient writings―especially the work of Seneca, Cicero, and Livy―this book also draws from contemporary theories of the self and social theory to deepen our understanding of ancient Rome. Barton explores the relation between inner desires and social behavior through an evocative analysis of the operation, in Roman society, of contests and ordeals, acts of supplication and confession, and the sense of shame. As she fleshes out Roman physical and psychological life, she particularly sheds new light on the consequential transition from republic to empire as a watershed of Roman social relations.
Barton's ability to build productively on both old and new scholarship on Roman history, society, and culture and her imaginative use of a wide range of work in such fields as anthropology, sociology, psychology, modern history, and popular culture will make this book appealing for readers interested in many subjects. This beautifully written work not only generates insight into Roman history, but also uses that insight to bring us to a new understanding of ourselves, our modern codes of honor, and why it is that we think and act the way we do.
401 pages, Hardcover
First published May 16, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
September 12, 2017
"As physical beauty, by the apt arrangement of the limbs, stirs the eyes and delights them for the very reason that all parts of the body combine in harmony and grace, so this decorum, shining out of the conduct of our lives, inspires the approval of our fellow man by the order, constancy, and self-control it imposes on every word and dead" - Cicero, De Officiis.
"A dilemma for the person of honour in ancient Rome had ever been the need to display oneself to others whilst simultaneously preseving an inviolate and protected sphere, the source and power of one's will, the animus [spirit], the effective energy at the core of one's being."
"The abstract thinker was shameless insofar as he or she did not submit his or her truth to common consent; Reason and Truth were ways of creating a reality over which one was totally sovereign- while totally submissive to God or Reason. The abstract thinker could have a reality without others, a being without others." - This was incompatible with the ideals of the Roman Republic, whereby each man and woman knew their place, within the set boundaries of Roman competition.
"A dilemma for the person of honour in ancient Rome had ever been the need to display oneself to others whilst simultaneously preseving an inviolate and protected sphere, the source and power of one's will, the animus [spirit], the effective energy at the core of one's being."
"The abstract thinker was shameless insofar as he or she did not submit his or her truth to common consent; Reason and Truth were ways of creating a reality over which one was totally sovereign- while totally submissive to God or Reason. The abstract thinker could have a reality without others, a being without others." - This was incompatible with the ideals of the Roman Republic, whereby each man and woman knew their place, within the set boundaries of Roman competition.
November 30, 2017
Note: This is really a 2.5 but I'm rounding up since I like history.
This book is an interesting and provocative attempt to examine and explain the Roman idea of honor. The book is not your usual history. It is more of an attempt to study how the Romans felt and what they believed about honor and why honor was important to them. It is very well footnoted and has a lot of supporting documentation. The book does a very good job of examining the changes from the late Republic period to the early Empire. I really enjoyed all the Latin which I haven't read in years. There were lots of interesting insights and thought provoking themes. Unfortunately, for me, the flaws were too many to give it a very high review. There are too many unsupported assertions, logic errors and confusing off topic tangents. As much as I enjoyed reading some of this, I would only recommend this to someone interested in reading a speculative view of Roman ideas of honor, shame, etc.. The conclusion parts of the book aren't as good as some of the earlier parts. It's a shame, really, because there is a lot of good stuff but it just doesn't hold together.
This book is an interesting and provocative attempt to examine and explain the Roman idea of honor. The book is not your usual history. It is more of an attempt to study how the Romans felt and what they believed about honor and why honor was important to them. It is very well footnoted and has a lot of supporting documentation. The book does a very good job of examining the changes from the late Republic period to the early Empire. I really enjoyed all the Latin which I haven't read in years. There were lots of interesting insights and thought provoking themes. Unfortunately, for me, the flaws were too many to give it a very high review. There are too many unsupported assertions, logic errors and confusing off topic tangents. As much as I enjoyed reading some of this, I would only recommend this to someone interested in reading a speculative view of Roman ideas of honor, shame, etc.. The conclusion parts of the book aren't as good as some of the earlier parts. It's a shame, really, because there is a lot of good stuff but it just doesn't hold together.
July 12, 2022
To be honest I was more than surprised that I enjoyed reading this book. It would be great to read along with the Roman classics. During the conclusion, particularly the last few paragraphs, Carlin attempts to explain the difficulty of the task she undertook. I found this a little difficult to follow. Other than that, I would recommend this book.
April 16, 2018
Pretty terrible writing. Academic, wordy, thick. But the content was very, very interesting.
January 13, 2023
Wow, Barton displays an impressive depth of Roman literature knowledge, and a sweeping variety of other scientific fields. She stitches together ancient quotes, parables, and modern day pop culture to paint an immersive picture of the Roman citizen’s psyche.
I found her thesis—that the Romans’ lost their original sense of honor as their culture morphed from a contest culture republic to a less intimate, hierarchical empire —compelling and well supported. However, the generalizations and comparisons to modern day fell short for a 5 star rating.
The book provided a phenomenal dive into the Roman mind, but applying those insights to today’s American culture (and more-so subcultures like the US military) demands an entirely separate book.
Overall a great read that expertly exposed me to ancient classics.
I found her thesis—that the Romans’ lost their original sense of honor as their culture morphed from a contest culture republic to a less intimate, hierarchical empire —compelling and well supported. However, the generalizations and comparisons to modern day fell short for a 5 star rating.
The book provided a phenomenal dive into the Roman mind, but applying those insights to today’s American culture (and more-so subcultures like the US military) demands an entirely separate book.
Overall a great read that expertly exposed me to ancient classics.
October 22, 2017
Wonderful book about how Romans used honor to define themselves and their society. This book gives necessary context to actions taken by both the leaders and citizens of the Republic and Empire as well as providing a way to get into the minds of the Romans and see the world as they would have. An excellent read!
May 10, 2024
Outstanding meditation on the motivating forces of honor and shame behind Republican Roman culture and their undoing at the hands of the cosmopolitanism of the empire. My only critique is you need a firm basis on the history of the Republic and Latin literature more broadly to get something out of this.
April 29, 2021
Uncanny, poetic, and wise.
December 5, 2022
Excellent view on Roman History from a cultural viewpoint. Many parallels arise with our times.
December 1, 2015
This was a mandatory read in college but I had the pleasure to read again some chapters. I wish I had done it earlier. It exposes many new views from a complete different perspective. Back in college we found plenty of material to discuss different topics affecting Europe today, but now as a manager, I was even inspired about team building
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews