War in Roman Myth and Legend

by Paul Chrystal

Overview

The importance of war gods and their myths to the Romans and their psyche – their worth as the sons of Mars.

This book redresses the relative lack of work published on the role of war in classical myth and legend. At the same time it debunks the popular view that the Romans had little mythology of their own and idly borrowed and adapted Greek myth to suit their own ends. While this true to some extent, War in Roman Myth and Legend clearly demonstrates a rich and meaningful independent mythology at work in Roman culture.

The book opens by addressing how the Romans did adopt and adapt Greek myths to fashion the beginnings of Roman history; it goes on to discuss the Roman gods of war and the ubiquity of war in Roman society and politics and how this was reflected in the Aeneas Foundation Myth, the Romulus and Remus Foundation Myth and the legends associated with the founding of Rome. Warlike Women in Roman Epic and Trojan heroes are discussed next and the use of mythology by Roman poets other than Virgil. The Theban Legion and the vision of Constantine myths conclude the book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526766120
Publisher:	Pen and Sword
Publication date:	12/28/2020
Pages:	280
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Paul Chrystal is the author of some seventy books published over the last decade, including recent publications such as Wars and Battles of the Roman Republic, Roman Military Disasters and Women and War in Ancient Greece and Rome. He is a regular contributor to history magazines, local and national newspapers and has appeared on BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service and on BBC local radio throughout Yorkshire and in Teesside and Manchester. He writes extensively for several Pen & Sword military history series including ‘Cold War 1945–1991’, ‘A History of Terror’ and ‘Military Legacy’ (of British cities).

Table of Contents

Maps vii

About the Author x

List of Plates xi

Introduction xvii

Chapter 1 Interpretatio Romana - 'Translating' the Greek and the Beginnings of Roman History 1

Chapter 2 The Gods of War 11

Chapter 3 Wall-to-Wall War & the Fetiales 28

Chapter 4 The Aeneas Foundation Myth: From Troy to Italy 40

Chapter 5 The Aeneas Foundation Myth: The Italian Wars 65

Chapter 6 The Romulus and Remus Foundation Myth 77

Chapter 7 Abduction, Rape and Murdering Your Daughter - All in the Name of History 90

Chapter 8 Warlike Women in Roman Epic 118

Chapter 9 Trojan Heroes 131

Chapter 10 Horace and Propertius 137

Chapter 11 Ovid 152

Chapter 12 The Theban Legion Massacre 286 CE: Myth or History? 174

Chapter 13 The View from the Bridge: The Vision of Constantine 177

Epilogue 181

Appendix I The Seven Kings of Rome 183

Appendix II Timeline 1 - The Mythical Age 184

Appendix III The Alban Kings 185

Appendix IV Timeline 2: Octavian (Augustus), 133-27BCE 187

Appendix V The Archaeology of Early Rome 189

Appendix VI Dating the Foundation 191

Appendix VII Some Latin Terms 193

Appendix VIII Typical Cursus Honorum in the First Century BCE 198

Appendix IX Roman Assemblies 199

Appendix X The Mos Maiorum 200

Notes 202

Further Reading 210

Index 228