Powerful Words: Imperial Speeches of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty
Research > Research projects > Powerful Words: Imperial Speeches of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty
Director:Martina Russo
Currently, the study of speeches attributed to the Julio-Claudians remains largely uncharted territory. POWO is poised to be the first comprehensive collection and classification of statements ascribed to the Julio-Claudian emperors, encompassing dicta, sententiae, speeches, and dialogues drawn from both official imperial documents—showing self-representation—and literary sources that reveal the portrayal of these rulers in historiography.
This project addresses a critical gap in scholarship by analyzing how the speeches of the Julio-Claudians function within communication strategies. POWO will provide a pioneering collection that not only catalogues imperial speeches but also conducts a thorough analysis of the intra-textual and inter-textual dimensions, revealing the tragic and rhetorical patterns present in these works.
The objective of POWO is not to critique the historical accuracy of these speeches but to explore their role in constructing the representation of the princeps as an archetypical figure, reflecting the author’s political perspective. POWO operates on two foundational distinctions: the first differentiates official imperial documents—which contain self-representations—from literary texts that depict the emperors; the second separates statements reported in direct speech (oratio recta) from those conveyed in indirect speech (oratio obliqua).
To achieve its ambitious goals, POWO will employ a variety of interdisciplinary methods. In addition to established techniques such as textual philology, textual criticism, close reading, and source criticism, it will incorporate literary theory, the pragmatics of communication (including politeness and impoliteness theory), doublespeak theory, and a historiographic perspective to effectively contextualize the voices of the Julio-Claudians. Through this multifaceted approach, POWO aspires to redefine our understanding of imperial rhetoric and its significance in ancient discourse.
Collaborators:
Francesca Romana Berno (Supervisor)
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Further details about this research:
- Research type: Research project Marie Curie
- Research topic: Latin Literature; Philology; Roman Historiography; Roman Biography; Roman History
- Fundings: HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships