Myth of Rome

Catalog description

The city of Rome is not only an urban space, but also a model, symbol, myth and even mental conception. In this course, we will explore different approaches to the image and memory of Rome and their evolution from the Classical to the Contemporary age. This course will pay particular attention to the confrontation between Classical politics and Niccolò Machiavelli's theories as well as their reception in early American society. The course will compare and contrast the Fascist reinterpretation of Classicism with the idea of the Classical age seen as a cradle of democracy. We will also explore the relationship with the Classical world to contemporary pop culture with special attention to cinema, TV series, and videogames.