The Search for Ancient Rome explained

The Search for Ancient Rome
Border:yes
Author:Claude Moatti
Title Orig:À la recherche de la Rome antique
Orig Lang Code:fr
Translator:Anthony Zielonka
Cover Artist:Joseph-Louis Duc (FR ed.)
Jacques Carlu (UK & US eds.)
Country:France
Language:French
Release Number: in collection
Subject:Archaeology of the city of Rome
Genre:Nonfiction monograph
Publisher:FR: Éditions Gallimard
US: Harry N. Abrams
UK: Thames & Hudson
Pub Date:16 May 1989
English Pub Date:1993
Media Type:Print (Paperback)
Pages:208 pp.
Isbn:978-2-070-53073-1
Isbn Note:(first edition)
Oclc:717883007
Preceded By:French: Cézanne : « Puissant et solitaire »
Followed By:French: Les sorcières, fiancées de Satan

The Search for Ancient Rome (French: '''À la recherche de la Rome antique'''|translation=In Search of Ancient Rome) is a 1989 illustrated monograph on the archaeology and history of the rediscovery of the ancient city of Rome. Written by French historian Claude Moatti, and published by Éditions Gallimard as the 56th volume in the "Découvertes" collection.

Moatti organised a project of research on the history of rediscovery of the ancient city of Rome in the late 1980s, the findings of the project gave birth to this small volume.[1]

Contents and synopsis

As part of the French: Archéologie series, Moatti discusses the remnants of the Roman civilisation, including the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Baths of Diocletian, and its twenty centuries of pillage.[2] The body text is divided into six chapters: I, "Rome, the Eternal City" (French: Rome, Ville Éternelle); II, "The Age of the Humanists" (French: Les Temps des humanistes); III, "From Private Collections to Art History" (French: Des collections privées à l'histoire de l'art); IV, "Rome Under Napoleon" (French: La Rome de Napoléon); V, "The Age of Reason" (French: L'Âge de raison); VI, "From One Myth to Another" (French: D'un mythe à l'autre).

At the beginning, Moatti emphasises the obscurity of Rome's past, because Rome was "being destroyed and buried time and time again over centuries, its history has been obscured", and "the veil of legend has covered its ruins". During Medieval period, these ruins have exerted a real fascination as shown in the Latin: [[Mirabilia Urbis Romae]]. In the Renaissance era, while Columbus was exploring the New World, artists, scholars, princes, adventurers and popes were searching through the soil of Rome for the remains of its former splendour. The city was rebuilt, brought back to life. But it was not until the 20th century, thanks to the development of archaeology, the origins of the city were finally revealed. The author also examines to what extent the architectural beauty of Rome has been valued or demolished over the centuries, what the causes are of its decay and what is being done to protect those monuments of the past from total decay.[3]

The second part of this book is the "Documents" section containing a compilation of excerpts divided into six parts : 1, The city under threat (French: La ville menacée); 2, Piranesi, the archaeologist (French: Piranèse archéologue); 3, The journey to Rome (French: Le voyage à Rome); 4, Parker the photographer (French: Parker photographe); 5, Tales of excavations (French: Histoires de fouilles); 6, Christian archaeology (French: L'archéologie chrétienne). These are followed by a list of further reading, list of illustrations and an index. The book also includes research on the Palatine, the Pincian and in the field of Christian archaeology.[4]

Reception

David Watkin called The Search for Ancient Rome "a brilliant little book", which "ends with a chilling hint of the fate some archaeologists might have in mind for Rome: nothing less than its destruction."[5]

Robert Ginsberg also gave the book a positive review: "A handy illustrated volume on the changing attitudes toward the ancient city of Rome, with a valuable section of documentary sources."[6]

An anonymous reviewer of the Belgian weekly magazine Dutch; Flemish: De Voorpost opined that "in this book one finds a perfect description of all that greatness [of Rome]. Richly illustrated, with comparisons and reconstructions of buildings. [...] If you take a trip to ancient Rome, this little book will certainly provide you with a good guide to the many sights."

Notes and References

  1. Book: Moatti, Claude . Zielonka . Anthony . 1993 . The Search for Ancient Rome . 'New Horizons' series . London . Thames & Hudson . 208 . 978-0-500-30026-8.
  2. Book: Sampson, Robin . 2005 . The Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach: Bible Based Homeschooling . Stafford, VA . Heart of Wisdom Publishing . 394 . 9780970181671.
  3. . Op zoek naar het oude Rome (Claude Moatti) . nl . De Voorpost . Aalst . 9 . 19 July 1991 . Uit de reeks 'Standaard ontdekkingen', een historische en leerrijke reeks informatieve boeken. Rome spreekt tot eenieders verbeelding. Vooral de grootheid van het Romeinse rijk met zijn indrukwekkende gebouwen. In dit boek vindt men een perfekte beschrijving terug van al die grootheid. Rijkelijk voorzien van afbeeldingen, met vergelijkingen en rekonstrukties van gebouwen. De auteur gaat na in hoeverre men in de loop der eeuwen deze schoonheid heeft gewaardeerd of gesloopt, welke de oorzaken zijn van het verval en wat eraan gedaan wordt om deze monumenten van het verleden te vrijwaren voor de totale aftakeling. Wie een bezoek brengt aan het oude Rome zal in dit boekje beslist een goede leidraad hebben bij de vele bezienswaardigheden..
  4. Web site: A la recherche de la Rome antique . . . . fr . 19 November 2021.
  5. Book: Watkin, David . 2005 . The Roman Forum . Cambridge, MA . Harvard University Press . 218 . 9780674063679.
  6. Book: Ginsberg, Robert . 2021 . The Aesthetics of Ruins . Leiden . Brill Publishers . 473 . 9789004495937.