The Search for Ancient Rome

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The Search for Ancient Rome
First French edition. Detail of The Flavian Amphitheatre (Coliseum), reconstruction. Louis Duc, 1830.
AuthorClaude Moatti
Original titleÀ la recherche de la Rome antique
TranslatorAnthony Zielonka
Cover artistJoseph-Louis Duc (FR ed.)
Jacques Carlu (UK & US eds.)
CountryFrance
LanguageFrench
Series
Release number
56th in collection
SubjectArchaeology of the city of Rome
GenreNonfiction monograph
PublisherFR: Éditions Gallimard
US: Harry N. Abrams
UK: Thames & Hudson
Publication date
16 May 1989
Published in English
1993
Media typePrint (Paperback)
Pages208 pp.
ISBN978-2-070-53073-1 (first edition)
OCLC717883007
Preceded byCézanne : « Puissant et solitaire » 
Followed byLes sorcières, fiancées de Satan 

The Search for Ancient Rome (French: À la recherche de la Rome antique, lit. '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[edit]

From left: UK and US editions.

As part of the 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" (Rome, Ville Éternelle); II, "The Age of the Humanists" (Les Temps des humanistes); III, "From Private Collections to Art History" (Des collections privées à l'histoire de l'art); IV, "Rome Under Napoleon" (La Rome de Napoléon); V, "The Age of Reason" (L'Âge de raison); VI, "From One Myth to Another" (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 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 (pp. 145–199): 1, The city under threat (La ville menacée); 2, Piranesi, the archaeologist (Piranèse archéologue); 3, The journey to Rome (Le voyage à Rome); 4, Parker the photographer (Parker photographe); 5, Tales of excavations (Histoires de fouilles); 6, Christian archaeology (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[edit]

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 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."[3]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Moatti, Claude (1993). The Search for Ancient Rome. 'New Horizons' series. Translated by Zielonka, Anthony. London: Thames & Hudson. p. 208. ISBN 978-0-500-30026-8.
  2. ^ Sampson, Robin (2005). The Heart of Wisdom Teaching Approach: Bible Based Homeschooling. Stafford, VA: Heart of Wisdom Publishing. p. 394. ISBN 9780970181671.
  3. ^ a b "Op zoek naar het oude Rome (Claude Moatti)". De Voorpost (in Dutch). Aalst. 19 July 1991. p. 9. 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. ^ "A la recherche de la Rome antique". franceculture.fr (in French). Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  5. ^ Watkin, David (2005). The Roman Forum. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. p. 218. ISBN 9780674063679.
  6. ^ Ginsberg, Robert (2021). The Aesthetics of Ruins. Leiden: Brill Publishers. p. 473. ISBN 9789004495937.

External links[edit]

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