BOOK REVIEW: The Roman Republic of Letters: Scholarship, Philosophy and Politics in the Age of Cicero and Caesar

Abstract

Ancient Roman history creates a wide interdisciplinary field of study for academics, from politics and archaeology to sociology and art. Interpreting today’s world by making inferences from Roman history is the most important factor that encourages the academy to work in this wide field. In The Roman Republic of Letters: Scholarship, Philosophy and Politics in the Age of Cicero and Caesar, Katherine Volk examines the Late Roman Republic (63-43 BCE), unlocking details for readers and researchers that were previously overlooked. At the same time, Volk has brought together the subjects of philosophy, religion, politics, rhetoric and grammar in a way that contributes to intellectual history. We can confidently say that this book fills a gap in helping us understand the intellectual and philosophical debates behind the political upheavals of the late Republic and in comparing Roman politics and politics today.

Keywords

Roman Republic, Intellectual History, Political Upheaval

Citation

Harun Güney Akgül, “Katharina Volk, The Roman Republic of Letters: Scholarship, Philosophy and Politics in the Age of Cicero and Caesar (Princeton University Press, 2021)”, Uluslararasi Iliskiler, Advanced Online Publication, 22 June 2023, pp. 1-3.

Affiliations

• Harun Güney Akgül, PhD Candidate, Department of Political Science, University of Wroclaw, Wroclaw