The Hills of Rome

'For tracing the history of a seemingly over-familiar idea Caroline Vout's book sets a new and high standard.' The Times Literary Supplement
'Vout is an established scholar of Roman visual culture with a penchant for integrating art and text, as well as material ancient and modern, to produce stimulating approaches to Roman cultural history. This book is no exception and demonstrates the sheer range of Vout's erudition ... provides a level of detail and sustained analysis of cultural geography that should serve as a model for future scholars of topography ... original and stimulating ... Throughout, the author demonstrates a skilled and sensitive analysis of both literary and visual material, and there are some truly eye-opening interpretations in the context of politics, religion and visual culture, both in the classical and post-classical city. It sets a new benchmark for the discussion of Roman cultural history and its reception. It is a rich tapestry of ideas, sophisticated and elegantly written, and makes a persuasive and compelling case that the seven hills are indeed the signature of the eternal city.' Mark Bradley, The Journal of Roman Studies
'The ambitious topic treated in this book is very well chosen and has a lot to offer. This book does a great deal in illuminating some aspects of the 'seven hills' concept and will prove useful for many advanced students of Rome ...' Raphael Hunsucker, Mnemosyne