Roberts has produced a gem of a book about Latin poetry of the Roman dominate.... By analyzing the style of a number of the major poets of the period, Roberts makes it clear that late Roman poetry is just as sophisticated, in its own right, as the works of the early principate. He argues that the literature has to be ... Read moreconsidered against the background of the period in which it was produced, convincingly showing that it shares much in common with the art of the period.
The Classical World
Robert skillfully delineates the qualities of the 'jeweled style' and shows that, although rhetorical ostentation was sometimes viewed with suspicion by Christian authors, it became an enduring part of late antique and medieval aesthetics. Roberts's discussions of poetry and the classical tradition are clear and informative, but it is primarily the extensive chapter on literature and the visual arts that makes this study so worthwhile. This book should not be overlooked by anyone interested in a readable treatment of early Christian and medieval Latin poetry.
Religious Studies Review
Show Less