At the centre of the Roman empire stood the emperor and the court surrounding him. The systematic investigation of this court in its own right, however, has been a relatively late development in the field of Roman history, and previous studies have focused on narrowly defined aspects or on particular periods of Roman history. This book makes a major contribution to understanding the history of the Roman imperial court. The first volume presents nineteen original essays covering all the major dimensions of the court from the age of Augustus to the threshold of Late Antiquity. The second volume is a collection of the ancient sources that are central to studying that court. The collection includes: translations of literary sources, inscriptions, and papyri; plans and computer visualizations of archaeological remains; and photographs of archaeologic sites and artworks depicting the emperor and his court.

‘In general, the volume presents a valuable collection of essays and source material to students endeavoring to study the Roman imperial court. While some essays are mainly informative, others provide discursive research questions. The mixture of both reflects the authors’ intent to cater to undergraduate students; however, advanced researchers will also profit from the range of topics, sources, and bibliography. The diverse contributions in both volumes yield far-reaching historical knowledge and will stimulate fruitful discussions, both inside the classroom and in further research contexts.’

Anna-Lisa Fichte Source: H-Soz-Kult