The Latin Inscriptions of Rome: A Walking Guide - Softcover

Lansford, Tyler

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0801891507 ISBN 13: 9780801891502

Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2009

Synopsis

Rome’s oldest known Latin inscription dates from the sixth century BC; the most recent major specimen was mounted in 2006―a span of more than two and a half millennia. Remarkably, many of these inscriptions are still to be found in situ, on the walls, gates, temples, obelisks, bridges, fountains, and churches of the city. Classicist Tyler Lansford has collected some 400 of these inscriptions and arranged them―with English translations―into fifteen walking tours that trace the physical and historical contours of the city.

Each itinerary is prefaced by an in-depth introduction that provides a survey of the history and topography of the relevant area of the city. The Latin texts appear on the left-hand page with English translations on the right. The original texts are equipped with full linguistic annotation, and the translations are supplemented with historical and cultural notes that explain who mounted them and why.

This unique guide will prove a fascinating and illuminating companion for both sophisticated visitors to the Eternal City and armchair travelers seeking a novel perspective into Rome's rich history.

About this title

Review:

"This book is wonderful. My head is full of information I didn’t know about Rome, despite my many years there. Lansford’s evocative depictions of monuments, cityscape, and memorable humans have inspired me anew with the fascination of Rome."

(Mary T. Boatwright, Duke University)

"Latin is a less and less common attainment even among educated travellers, so Tyler Lansford has come to the rescue... If this book is not slipped into many a Rome-bound suitcase, there is no justice in the world. I can think of few more enjoyable companions on a prowl through the city."

(Jane Stevenson Times Literary Supplement)

"The Latin Inscriptions of Rome is a delight, one to which I shall turn and to which I shall send my students when in Rome, and which I recommend to everyone interested in gaining a wealth of detailed information about 'the epigraphic habit' and its importance to our understanding not just of ancient Rome, but of every era of the Eternal City's incredible history."

(James C. Anderson Classical Outlook)

"Tyler Lansford... has put together the most original and stimulating guide to the Eternal City of the hundreds published in recent years."

(Masolino D'Amico La Stampa)

About the Author:

Tyler Lansford is an independent scholar and the cofounder of Seattle Language Academy.

About this edition

• Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0801891507
• ISBN 13: 9780801891502
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 594