Virgilian Geopoetics : The Poetics and Politics of Space in the Aeneid

This is the final volume in a highly influential series which has transformed the study of Roman literature. Like its predecessors, it aims to improve the dialogue between ancient studies and the development of dynamic models of interpretation, with its emphasis on ecocriticism and on the narrative construction of space.

This is an exploration of how the spatial dimension of the Aeneid is enriched by history, memory, and prophecy. As the travel of Aeneas moves on through the Mediterranean, space is turning into place, and place is turning into a Romanized map of the world. Alessandro Barchiesi brings to bear on the poetry of Virgil issues that are central to historical studies, such as colonization, imperialism, exile, conquest, diaspora, ethnicity, and deportation. He clarifies a number of connections between space, geography, and historical memory, revealing the significance of landscapes and seascapes in the light of a poetics of empire. He further investigates the political significance of contact zones, the recurring role of cult and religion, and the function of intertextuality in the construction of space. The book encourages dialogue between ancient studies and ecocriticism and provides a case study of how poetry interacts with Roman ideologies of empire.