Exemplary Ethics in Ancient Rome

This ground-breaking study conveys the thrill and moral power of the ancient Roman story-world and its ancestral tales of bloody heroism. Its account of 'exemplary ethics' explores how and what Romans learnt from these moral exempla, arguing that they disseminated widely not only core values such as courage and loyalty, but also key ethical debates and controversies which are still relevant for us today. Exemplary ethics encouraged controversial thinking, creative imitation, and a critical perspective on moral issues, and it plays an important role in Western philosophical thought. The model of exemplary ethics developed here is based on a comprehensive survey of Latin literature, and its innovative approach also synthesizes methodologies from disciplines such as contemporary philosophy, educational theory, and cultural memory studies. It offers a new and robust framework for the study of Roman exempla that will also be valuable for the study of moral exempla in other settings.

Rebecca Langlands is Professor of Classics at the University of Exeter. Her books include Sexual Morality in Ancient Rome (Cambridge, 2006) and Sex, Knowledge, and Receptions of the Past (2015). She is also a founder and director of the award-winning Sex and History project, which works with museums, schools, charities and young people to promote empowering discussion of contemporary sexual issues.