Chapter Res est romana. Oggetti di ‘potere’ e ‘reliquie’ di memoria a Roma

Overview & Synopsis

This article examines a range of objects described in Roman antiquarian sources that functioned as carriers of memory and guarantors of identity. Some, like the pignora imperii, were regarded as divine pledges securing Rome’s imperium; others, such as Romulus’ lituus or the sow of Lavinium, served as material witnesses to foundational events. Although materially lost today, these objects acted as signs of continuity, shaping Roman collective memory and political power. Embedded in the urban fabric, they contributed to a sacred topography that anchored political authority in a mythical past.