Literary Criticism Ancient & Classical
Celebrity, Fame, and Infamy in the Hellenistic World
- 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.