Is Universal History a Subversive Discourse?
The Case of Pompeius Trogus
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 23468534 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Alice Borgna (0000-0001-6668-9515, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale “Amedeo Avogadro”, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-06-24 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | CHAPTER |
| Venue | The Oxford Handbook of Universal History Writing (SOURCE_BOOK) |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198915560.013.0025 |
| OpenAlex | W4411603348 |
| ISBN | 9780198915560 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 4 |
This chapter examines whether or not Pompeius Trogus’ universal history represents a subversive discourse against Rome. Although Trogus’ minimal focus on Rome has led some scholars to view him as an anti-Roman author, a closer analysis of his historical and political perspectives provides a more nuanced understanding. Trogus crafted his universal history to highlight the rise and fall of various empires, emphasizing internal discord and the desire for unrestrained expansion as the primary factors driving the translatio imperii—the transfer of power from one empire to another. Conversely, Trogus consistently extolled leaders who maintained stability and peace without excessive territorial ambitions and emphasized the benefits of singular rule, arguing that a government based on a plurality of figures is a natural source of discord. Without any nostalgia for the republican system, Trogus portrays Augustus as an exemplary ruler and underscores his support for the princeps as the sole figure capable of preventing Rome’s decline and the consequent translatio imperii.
Sociology · Classical Antiquity Studies · Classical Studies and Philology
| Highly cited | No |
|---|