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Literary Criticism Ancient & Classical

Celebrity, Fame, and Infamy in the Hellenistic World

edited by Riemer Faber

Publisher
University of Toronto Press
Initial publish date
Apr 2020
Category
Ancient & Classical, General, Ancient & Classical
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781487505226
    Publish Date
    Apr 2020
    List Price
    $93.00
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781487531799
    Publish Date
    Apr 2020
    List Price
    $93.00

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Description

Modern notions of celebrity, fame, and infamy reach back to the time of Homer's Iliad. During the Hellenistic period, in particular, the Greek understanding of fame became more widely known, and adapted, to accommodate or respond to non-Greek understandings of reputation in society and culture.

 

This collection of essays illustrates the ways in which the characteristics of fame and infamy in the Hellenistic era distinguished themselves and how they were represented in diverse and unique ways throughout the Mediterranean. The means of recording fame and infamy included public art, literature, sculpture, coinage, and inscribed monuments. The ruling elite carefully employed these means throughout the different Hellenistic kingdoms, and these essays demonstrate how they operated in the creation of social, political, and cultural values. The authors examine the cultural means whereby fame and infamy entered social consciousness, and explore the nature and effect of this important and enduring sociological phenomenon.

About the author

Riemer A. Faber is an associate professor in the Department of Classical Studies at the University of Waterloo.

Riemer Faber's profile page