Jaclyn Neel
Biographic Data
| ID | 3874991 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jaclyn Neel |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jaclyn |
| FAMILY NAME | Neel |
| SIGNATURE | NEEL J |
| AFFILIATIONS | York University |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 12 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 5 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 12 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Animal Sacrifice in the Roman Empire (31 bce –395 ce )
The Tomb of Tarpeia
Ancient sources suggest that Tarpeia, a historical-mythological figure whose date varied between the Romulean period and the Gallic Wars, had a tomb on the Capitoline Hill; however, these sources have not been seen as credible by modern scholarship. This article contextualizes Dionysius of Halicarnassus’ discussion of Tarpeia’s tomb in both the Roman Antiquities and modern studies of Roman religion, and suggests the manner in which honors would h…
There’s No Crying in Government
Jaclyn Neel examines the role played by visible grief in the early Roman exempla of Romulus and Brutus and its relation to hegemonic and toxic masculinity in the Roman world. These exempla are contrasted with the historical case of Cicero’s strong reaction to the death of his daughter Tullia. Although the cases of Romulus and Brutus, who respectively killed a brother and had sons executed, are extreme, their refusal to show grief highlights the r…
There’s No Crying in Government
The Capture of the Capitoline in Roman Historical Thinking
This article argues that the stories of Tarpeia and of Manlius Capitolinus are variations on a single, historically attested concern about internal enemies on the Capitoline. Moreover, the unusual presentation of these stories in Ovid in particular can be explained by various chemical properties of the mint, most likely located near the temple of Juno Moneta. Concerns about the safety of the mint in the late Republic may have driven authorial int…
Tarpeia the Vestal
Tarpeia's role as a Vestal has become a matter of scholarly consensus in the past two decades. This article questions that consensus by suggesting that Varro and Propertius are the two major proponents of this ‘Vestal version’, which is not present in other major narratives such as Livy, Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Plutarch. Propertius’ version in particular, which depicts Tarpeia as a Vestal in love, has been overprivileged in analyses of thi…
The Vibennae
The Vibenna brothers of Etruria have been interpreted as historical analogues to Romulus and Remus. Through a comprehensive re-examination of the archaeological and textual remains, I argue that this view is mistaken. Roman accounts recognize only one brother; Etruscan accounts consistently privilege the brothers’ cooperation. Rather than Romulus and Remus, we should consider alternatives such as Castor and Pollux as mythological parallels
Cicero’s Rhetoric of Terror
In the first three Catilinarians, Cicero defines the nebulous crisis facing the Roman state in specific and concrete terms. I argue that his description of Catiline’s activity can be understood as a “rhetoric of terror,” a term used by scholars of rhetoric to describe how modern political leaders have responded to violent crises in the twenty-first century. Cicero uses similar themes to construct an atmosphere of emergency in 63 bce. The insisten…
Alba Longa
Alba Longa is the legendary metropolis of Rome founded by Ascanius, the son of Aeneas. Romulus and Remus originate from the city, which is also known for its destruction: a lengthy saga featuring the duel of the Horatii and Curiatii and the traitor Mettius Fufetius. Alba Longa is also associated with the Feriae Latinae .
Reconsidering the Affectatores Regni
In the beginning, Rome was ruled by kings. Their expulsion heralded the foundation of the Republic, a political system strong enough to withstand both internal and external threats to the state. Among these internal threats was the possibility of an elite man trying to set himself up as a king. Modern scholarship agrees that there were three such attempts to recreate a monarchy in the early Republic: Spurius Cassius in 485, Spurius Maelius in 439…
Epic Rumors
In De domo sua 92, Cicero responds to Clodius' claim that he has called himself Jupiter. General opinion has seen here a reference to Cicero's lost De consulatu suo; I argue that Clodius' accusation was instead based on prose works such as In Catilinam 3
Legendary Rivals
In Legendary Rivals Jaclyn Neel argues for a new interpretation of the foundation myths of Rome. Instead of a negative portrayal of the city’s early history, these tales offer a didactic paradigm of the correct way to engage in competition
Reconsidering the Affectatores Regni
In the beginning, Rome was ruled by kings. Their expulsion heralded the foundation of the Republic, a political system strong enough to withstand both internal and external threats to the state. Among these internal threats was the possibility of an elite man trying to set himself up as a king. Modern scholarship agrees that there were three such attempts to recreate a monarchy in the early Republic: Spurius Cassius in 485, Spurius Maelius in 439…
Legendary Rivals
In Legendary Rivals Jaclyn Neel argues for a new interpretation of the foundation myths of Rome. Instead of a negative portrayal of the city’s early history, these tales offer a didactic paradigm of the correct way to engage in competition
The Vibennae
The Vibenna brothers of Etruria have been interpreted as historical analogues to Romulus and Remus. Through a comprehensive re-examination of the archaeological and textual remains, I argue that this view is mistaken. Roman accounts recognize only one brother; Etruscan accounts consistently privilege the brothers’ cooperation. Rather than Romulus and Remus, we should consider alternatives such as Castor and Pollux as mythological parallels
Legendary Rivals
In Legendary Rivals Jaclyn Neel argues for a new interpretation of the foundation myths of Rome. Instead of a negative portrayal of the city’s early history, these tales offer a didactic paradigm of the correct way to engage in competition
Alba Longa
Alba Longa is the legendary metropolis of Rome founded by Ascanius, the son of Aeneas. Romulus and Remus originate from the city, which is also known for its destruction: a lengthy saga featuring the duel of the Horatii and Curiatii and the traitor Mettius Fufetius. Alba Longa is also associated with the Feriae Latinae .
Reconsidering the Affectatores Regni
In the beginning, Rome was ruled by kings. Their expulsion heralded the foundation of the Republic, a political system strong enough to withstand both internal and external threats to the state. Among these internal threats was the possibility of an elite man trying to set himself up as a king. Modern scholarship agrees that there were three such attempts to recreate a monarchy in the early Republic: Spurius Cassius in 485, Spurius Maelius in 439…
Epic Rumors
In De domo sua 92, Cicero responds to Clodius' claim that he has called himself Jupiter. General opinion has seen here a reference to Cicero's lost De consulatu suo; I argue that Clodius' accusation was instead based on prose works such as In Catilinam 3
The Vibennae
The Vibenna brothers of Etruria have been interpreted as historical analogues to Romulus and Remus. Through a comprehensive re-examination of the archaeological and textual remains, I argue that this view is mistaken. Roman accounts recognize only one brother; Etruscan accounts consistently privilege the brothers’ cooperation. Rather than Romulus and Remus, we should consider alternatives such as Castor and Pollux as mythological parallels
Cicero’s Rhetoric of Terror
In the first three Catilinarians, Cicero defines the nebulous crisis facing the Roman state in specific and concrete terms. I argue that his description of Catiline’s activity can be understood as a “rhetoric of terror,” a term used by scholars of rhetoric to describe how modern political leaders have responded to violent crises in the twenty-first century. Cicero uses similar themes to construct an atmosphere of emergency in 63 bce. The insisten…
Tarpeia the Vestal
Tarpeia's role as a Vestal has become a matter of scholarly consensus in the past two decades. This article questions that consensus by suggesting that Varro and Propertius are the two major proponents of this ‘Vestal version’, which is not present in other major narratives such as Livy, Dionysius of Halicarnassus and Plutarch. Propertius’ version in particular, which depicts Tarpeia as a Vestal in love, has been overprivileged in analyses of thi…
There’s No Crying in Government
Jaclyn Neel examines the role played by visible grief in the early Roman exempla of Romulus and Brutus and its relation to hegemonic and toxic masculinity in the Roman world. These exempla are contrasted with the historical case of Cicero’s strong reaction to the death of his daughter Tullia. Although the cases of Romulus and Brutus, who respectively killed a brother and had sons executed, are extreme, their refusal to show grief highlights the r…
There’s No Crying in Government
The Capture of the Capitoline in Roman Historical Thinking
This article argues that the stories of Tarpeia and of Manlius Capitolinus are variations on a single, historically attested concern about internal enemies on the Capitoline. Moreover, the unusual presentation of these stories in Ovid in particular can be explained by various chemical properties of the mint, most likely located near the temple of Juno Moneta. Concerns about the safety of the mint in the late Republic may have driven authorial int…
The Tomb of Tarpeia
Ancient sources suggest that Tarpeia, a historical-mythological figure whose date varied between the Romulean period and the Gallic Wars, had a tomb on the Capitoline Hill; however, these sources have not been seen as credible by modern scholarship. This article contextualizes Dionysius of Halicarnassus’ discussion of Tarpeia’s tomb in both the Roman Antiquities and modern studies of Roman religion, and suggests the manner in which honors would h…
Animal Sacrifice in the Roman Empire (31 bce –395 ce )
Classical Antiquity Studies (9 works) · Art (8 works) · History (6 works) · Philosophy (6 works) · History (5 works) · Law (5 works) · Literature (5 works) · Law (4 works) · Philosophy (4 works) · Political science (4 works)