New Novel on Late Rome -- in Italian

[Narukami]

Perhaps this will be translated into other languages at some point down the road...


http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Cu ... 3960124731

[size=150:wcwzielh]Italy: Novel takes fresh look at fall of Roman empire[/size]

Rome, 6 Nov. (AKI) - A new Italian novel released in Rome on Friday takes a fresh look at the collapse of the Roman empire. 'Gli Ultimi Fuochi dell'Impero Romano' or 'The Final Splendour of the Roman Empire' is written by historian, journalist and author, Giulio Castelli.

The novel focuses on the story of Roman emperor Majorian who ruled the western Roman empire from 457 to 461 A.D. and his successors, particularly emperor Anthemius who ruled from 466 to 472 A.D.

In an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI), Castelli said that the decline of the ancient world was a powerful metaphor for the current cultural and moral crisis afflicting the West.

"From late antiquity to the current era, there have been extraordinary analogies, which is discouraging. In fact, as we already know, the late antiquity was regarded - at least from a secular point of view - as being marred by political, social and economical crises," Castelli told AKI.

"Among the many analogies, are the economic crisis, immigration, corruption, bureaucracy and its inefficiencies, religious fundamentalism - at the time Christian - and now Islamic (fundamentalism)."

The story's central character is Ricimer, a Germanic military leader who effectively controlled the remaining parts of the Western Roman Empire. An unscrupulous man who held power for fifteen years, appointing Roman nobles as emperors only to crush them when they proved to be too independent.

Castelli also said that he did extensive research using numerous texts by various German, English, French and American historians as well as a few Latin language sources.

However, he stressed how difficult it was to find objective sources due to the diverging interests of Christians and pagans at the time.

"During that period, Christian authors preferred to talk about miracles and saints, while the pagans preferred to talk about how Christianity was threatening the empire. The clear and objective chronicals are indeed very few," said Castelli.

The novel is considered a sequel to the author's previous book, 'Emperor, the last hero of ancient Rome' which was published in 2008.

It examines an historical epoch that covers the dissolution of the ancient world and the advent of the Middle Ages.

Castelli said the novel could be considered a yardstick between what took place more than fifteen centuries ago and what is occurring today.

:wink:

Narukami

[Robert Vermaat]

Perhaps this will be translated into other languages at some point down the road...

I surely hope not, but I fear it will. It's a very populist view.

. 'Gli Ultimi Fuochi dell'Impero Romano' or 'The Final Splendour of the Roman Empire' is written by historian, journalist and author, Giulio Castelli.

Historian? If he is, he oughtta know better. :evil:

In an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI), Castelli said that the decline of the ancient world was a powerful metaphor for the current cultural and moral crisis afflicting the West.
"From late antiquity to the current era, there have been extraordinary analogies, which is discouraging. In fact, as we already know, the late antiquity was regarded - at least from a secular point of view - as being marred by political, social and economical crises," Castelli told AKI.
"Among the many analogies, are the economic crisis, immigration, corruption, bureaucracy and its inefficiencies, religious fundamentalism - at the time Christian - and now Islamic (fundamentalism)."

This is not new - sounds like these have surfaced over the past decades, the 'Fall of Rome' being such a potent symbol that 'modern prophets' (especially those with a modern agenda) can't help themselves but take it from the shelf at any time they have need of it.

Unfortunately, those who seem to want to 'learn from history' also want to use only the images that they need, and ignore the total picture.

For instance, the comparison between Christianity and modern Islam is totally wrong, not to say idiotic. The early Christians, as we all know, threw themselves on passing Roman quadrigas or hurled themselves at government buildings.. of course they did not.
Individual Christians might have been fanatic at times, until Constantine turned the tables they were usually at the receiving end, and never were they capable of disrupting the affairs of the state. When the end of the West came, Christianity had been established for over a century as the one and only religion. Many studies have since found that paganism had vanished as a main form of religion, even in remote parts such as Noricum.
The comparison between 5th c. Christians and 21st c. Muslims is futile.

Likewise, Germanic immigrants crowded the borders, flooded the inner regions and formed German-speaking states within the Empire... of course they did not.
Germanic immigrants were mostly employed by the army, settling in areas vacated by Roman citizens. The newcomer's main wish - to become Romans. Sure, they formed communities under their own leaders, but only since the late 4th century, a [mere] hundred years before the final end of Roman rule. prior to that, all immigrants vanished into Roman society, being Germans, Sarmatians or even Huns. Only when the crisis became too severe, groups like the Franks retained their identity - and even they became speakers of Latin (French).
The comparison between 5thc. and 21st c. immigrants is futile.

Roman financial institutes, plagued by money-grabbing CEO's, caused the downfall of Roman currency, ruining millions... of course they did not.
Yes, Roman economy was in an enormous recession, especially in the West, which we can see in the vanishing of the import of luxury goods, roof tiles and other signs. However, this had nothing to do with economic events as seen today, because the economic systems are incomparable. The Roman economic system had just come out of the Iron Age. The government effectiveness of the Roman State has been compared to that of modern Zimbabwe - and came second. Economic power was concentrated with 5% of the population, while a liberal Middle Class had yet to be invented. Etc, etc.
The comparison between 5th c. and 21st c. economics is futile.

Castelli also said that he did extensive research using numerous texts by various German, English, French and American historians as well as a few Latin language sources.

D D 'Historian' indeed! A few sources, and the rest all modern secondary sources! And he totally neglected the Greek sources, too!
Bah, humbug!

Castelli said the novel could be considered a yardstick between what took place more than fifteen centuries ago and what is occurring today.

NOT!

:wink:

:wink: Indeed!

[Narukami]

Quite so.

I was simply posting the review without comment, but I find your points well and fairly taken.

Indeed, it is most unlikely I will ever read this book, even in translation -- I'm not much for fiction when history is almost always far more fascinating.

While I do believe that there are some interesting similarities between Ancient Rome and current events, it is a comparison that can not be pushed too far or too slavishly.

Perhaps the best book to compare Ancient Rome to the current USA was Cullen Murphy's 2007 book Are We Rome - The Fall Of An Empire And The Fate Of America. Mr. Murphy finds many interesting parallels but also many significant differences.

He concludes his book:

Are we Rome? In important ways we just might be. In important ways we're clearly making some of the same mistakes. But the antidote is everywhere. The Antidote is being American.

One might amend that to "The antidote is being modern."

I also hold with Machiavelli who said:

"Prudent men are wont to say--and this not rashly or without good ground--that he who would foresee what has to be should reflect on what has been, for everything that happens in the world at any time has genuine resemblance to what happened in ancient times."

The past is important to know, it can offer us many insights on our present and our possible future, but it is not a road map or a blueprint. The differences are just as important as the similarities.

Once again I am impressed by the depth of learning consistently displayed by the members of this Forum. Thanks Robert.

:wink:

Narukami