Startseite Altertumswissenschaften & Ägyptologie Chapter 18. Plotting Plotina? The reception of an empress in Roman provincial prose (fiction)
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Chapter 18. Plotting Plotina? The reception of an empress in Roman provincial prose (fiction)

  • Yvona Trnka-Amrhein
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The Reality of Women in the Universe of the Ancient Novel
Ein Kapitel aus dem Buch The Reality of Women in the Universe of the Ancient Novel

Abstract

This chapter explores the reception of the empress Plotina in three texts from three literary traditions within the Roman Empire: the Acta Hermaisci, the Talmud, and Apuleius’ Metamorphoses. It argues that the Plotina character we see in these texts is based on an idea of the Roman empress’ ability to influence the emperor to the detriment of provincial groups. This ‘plotting Plotina’ figure is the opposite of the official ideal found in Pliny’s Panegyricus and may develop the suspicion we see in Roman historical texts that Plotina exercised improper influence on Hadrian’s succession. Indeed, the motherhood of the ‘plotting Plotina’ character may respond to the problematic childlessness of the real empress. In addition to exploring how provincial texts fictionalized a historical woman to articulate the powerlessness of being a Roman subject, this chapter provides an example of how one theme could be deployed in texts from different cultures written in the same empire. It thus offers a perspective on how a broad understanding of ‘imperial literature’ can inform our knowledge of connections between the literary cultures that coexisted under Roman rule.

Abstract

This chapter explores the reception of the empress Plotina in three texts from three literary traditions within the Roman Empire: the Acta Hermaisci, the Talmud, and Apuleius’ Metamorphoses. It argues that the Plotina character we see in these texts is based on an idea of the Roman empress’ ability to influence the emperor to the detriment of provincial groups. This ‘plotting Plotina’ figure is the opposite of the official ideal found in Pliny’s Panegyricus and may develop the suspicion we see in Roman historical texts that Plotina exercised improper influence on Hadrian’s succession. Indeed, the motherhood of the ‘plotting Plotina’ character may respond to the problematic childlessness of the real empress. In addition to exploring how provincial texts fictionalized a historical woman to articulate the powerlessness of being a Roman subject, this chapter provides an example of how one theme could be deployed in texts from different cultures written in the same empire. It thus offers a perspective on how a broad understanding of ‘imperial literature’ can inform our knowledge of connections between the literary cultures that coexisted under Roman rule.

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Chapter 1. Frauen in Wirtschaft und Politik der griechisch-römischen Antike 1
  5. Chapter 2. Lo status giuridico della donna nel diritto romano della tarda Repubblica e del Principato (II secolo a.C. – inizi del III secolo d.C.) 16
  6. Chapter 3. Curare le donne nell’Egitto greco-romano 42
  7. Chapter 4. Realidad de la institución matrimonial en la ficción de las novelas grecolatinas 54
  8. Chapter 5. La expositio en Dafnis y Cloe 84
  9. Chapter 6. Consent in Greek and Roman marriage 99
  10. Chapter 7. Legal reality or storytelling? 107
  11. Chapter 8. Warrior women 127
  12. Chapter 9. Egyptian feminine anthroponyms in ancient Greek novels? 149
  13. Chapter 10. Narrative aspects of Callirhoe’s tomb 159
  14. Chapter 11. The home life of a heroine 173
  15. Chapter 12. Chloe as learning subject in Longus’ Daphnis and Chloe 181
  16. Chapter 13. Achilles Tatius’ Leucippe as a puella docta 197
  17. Chapter 14. Le collane di Charicleia 206
  18. Chapter 15. The reality of women in ancient popular literature 230
  19. Chapter 16. Kidnapping in the ancient novels 244
  20. Chapter 17. Tarsia nel lupanare 260
  21. Chapter 18. Plotting Plotina? The reception of an empress in Roman provincial prose (fiction) 277
  22. Chapter 19. Algunos aspectos de la mujer en la hagiografía bizantina 297
  23. Chapter 20. De opere illicito 329
  24. Chapter 21. Notes on women and the law in the novel  Los amores de Clareo y Florisea by Alonso Núñez de Reinoso 343
  25. Chapter 22. La ordalía en el judaísmo y Derecho rabínico 359
  26. Chapter 23. Semejanzas y diferencias entre las heroínas de la novela griega antigua y en la tradición sánscrita del Ramayana 374
  27. Chapter 24. Queens, heroines and slaves 382
  28. Chapter 25. “Parthian” women in Vīs and Rāmīn 396
  29. Chapter 26. Configuración neurocognitiva del ideal amoroso y castidad en las protagonistas de la novela griega 407
  30. Index locorum 416
  31. Abbreviations 447
  32. Contributors 448
https://doi.org/10.1075/ivitra.40.18trn

Kapitel in diesem Buch

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Preface ix
  4. Chapter 1. Frauen in Wirtschaft und Politik der griechisch-römischen Antike 1
  5. Chapter 2. Lo status giuridico della donna nel diritto romano della tarda Repubblica e del Principato (II secolo a.C. – inizi del III secolo d.C.) 16
  6. Chapter 3. Curare le donne nell’Egitto greco-romano 42
  7. Chapter 4. Realidad de la institución matrimonial en la ficción de las novelas grecolatinas 54
  8. Chapter 5. La expositio en Dafnis y Cloe 84
  9. Chapter 6. Consent in Greek and Roman marriage 99
  10. Chapter 7. Legal reality or storytelling? 107
  11. Chapter 8. Warrior women 127
  12. Chapter 9. Egyptian feminine anthroponyms in ancient Greek novels? 149
  13. Chapter 10. Narrative aspects of Callirhoe’s tomb 159
  14. Chapter 11. The home life of a heroine 173
  15. Chapter 12. Chloe as learning subject in Longus’ Daphnis and Chloe 181
  16. Chapter 13. Achilles Tatius’ Leucippe as a puella docta 197
  17. Chapter 14. Le collane di Charicleia 206
  18. Chapter 15. The reality of women in ancient popular literature 230
  19. Chapter 16. Kidnapping in the ancient novels 244
  20. Chapter 17. Tarsia nel lupanare 260
  21. Chapter 18. Plotting Plotina? The reception of an empress in Roman provincial prose (fiction) 277
  22. Chapter 19. Algunos aspectos de la mujer en la hagiografía bizantina 297
  23. Chapter 20. De opere illicito 329
  24. Chapter 21. Notes on women and the law in the novel  Los amores de Clareo y Florisea by Alonso Núñez de Reinoso 343
  25. Chapter 22. La ordalía en el judaísmo y Derecho rabínico 359
  26. Chapter 23. Semejanzas y diferencias entre las heroínas de la novela griega antigua y en la tradición sánscrita del Ramayana 374
  27. Chapter 24. Queens, heroines and slaves 382
  28. Chapter 25. “Parthian” women in Vīs and Rāmīn 396
  29. Chapter 26. Configuración neurocognitiva del ideal amoroso y castidad en las protagonistas de la novela griega 407
  30. Index locorum 416
  31. Abbreviations 447
  32. Contributors 448
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