The figure of Julius Caesar has loomed large in the United States since its very beginning, admired and evoked as a gateway to knowledge of politics, war, and even national life. In this lively and perceptive book, the first to examine Caesar's place in modern American culture, Maria Wyke investigates how his use has intensified in periods of political crisis, when the occurrence of assassination, war, dictatorship, totalitarianism or empire appears to give him fresh relevance. Her fascinating discussion shows how - from the Latin classroom to the Shakespearean stage, from cinema, television and the comic book to the internet - Caesar is mobilized in the U.S. as a resource for acculturation into the American present, as a prediction of America's future, or as a mode of commercial profit and great entertainment.

About the Author
Maria Wyke is Professor of Latin at University College London.

Reviews
"Impressively demonstrates Caesar's varying significance... 'Caesar in the U.S.A.' takes the reader for a long-distance cross-country joy ride." -- Christopher B. Krebs Wall Street Journal "'Caesar in the U.S.A.' exposes the complex legacy of ancient Rome to the American republic." -- Glen Bowersock Times Literary Supplement (TLS) "A clear narrative... Caesar's evolving image influenced US political culture in ways that Wyke illustrates... Highly recommended." -- R. I. Curtis, University of Georgia Choice "Elegantly written." -- Barbara Lawatsch Melton Journal of Roman Studies "This book... a tremendous achievement... deserves to be a full title in the history of modern reflection on the impressive and never exhausted phenomenon of 'Caesarism'". -- Luciano Canford Gnomon Bd.



Book Information
ISBN 9780520273917
Author Maria Wyke
Format Hardback
Page Count 320
Imprint University of California Press
Publisher University of California Press
Weight(grams) 590g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 28mm