The topic of Roman imperialism has elicited much scholarly interest over the past few decades and the debate has not yet abated. Remarkably, however, the textual and visual representations of Rome's expanding influence, power and imperial rule have not so far received a comprehensive historical investigation. Marco Vitale's monograph, which is based on his Habilitationsschrift, sets out to fill this research gap. Its main objective is to analyse how the Romans perceived and described the expansion and rule of their empire both in textual and visual media.

The book deals with an extraordinarily wide range of material, including coins, inscriptions, literary texts, works of art and architecture, dating from the late third century b.c. to the fourth century a.d. In order to cope with the abundant source material, V. gives prominence to well selected case studies, the analysis of which is focused on what he labels ‘Darstellungslogik’ (logic of representation). It is concerned with the search for the organising principles (e.g. cities, gentes, nationes) and prevailing concepts (e.g. subjugation, integration) underlying the representation of the territories of Roman dominion as conquered and/or integrated political units. As V. forcefully asserts, it is the specific context that matters, and accordingly he centres his analysis on what he denotes as ‘Kontextebenen’ (levels of context). In order to unearth them he has developed a methodologically sound analytical framework (44–8), which, no doubt, will provide a helpful tool for future studies in related fields.

One must, however, bear in mind that the ‘context’ he explores is confined to the specific circumstances surrounding his selected case studies. Unfortunately, the wider political, social and cultural conditions are often left unmentioned. Take, for example, ch. 2.3 on the Julio-Claudian period: here V. delves into the examination of distinct text passages, objects and monuments of the period, without embedding them into a wider discussion of Augustan foreign policy and imperialism. The Res Gestae, the porticus ad nationes, the victory parade of L. Cornelius Balbus, the Tropaeum Augusti, the sword of Tiberius, the Forum of Augustus, the cup of Puteoli, Herod the Great's theatre at Jerusalem and the Sebasteion at Aphrodisias are dealt with as separate examples, which leaves the impression of a tessellated presentation of the subject matter.

On the other hand, the catalogue-like examination of the evidence allows the author to provide the reader with extraordinarily thorough case studies. Scholarly debates surrounding each object or text passage under investigation are carefully presented, critically assessed and, if required, modified with sound judgement. V.’s study will clearly give fresh impetus to a number of research fields which his analysis touches upon, be it onomastics, Roman provincial administration or Roman law. Particular attention should be paid to his in-depth study of the development of ethnophoric honorific names (nomina victae ab se gentis / cognomina ex virtute) from the republican period to Late Antiquity (ch. 2.8) and his minute philological and historical analysis of the phrase in form(ul)am provinciae redigere (ch. 2.9).

Numismatists will take special interest in chs 2.4–7 and 3, which form the core of the monograph. Working in chronological order (i.e. emperor/dynasty by emperor/dynasty), the richly illustrated chs 2.4–7 trace the emergence and use of personifications of provinces on coins from the post-Neronian period onwards. As V. observes, it is during the Flavian and early Antonine periods that the notion of the unity of empire comes to the fore in visual discourse. In ch. 3, adopting a province by province approach, he discusses in detail the genesis and development of the different pictorial representations of individual Roman provinces (including the special case of Italia) and client kingdoms on coins (e.g. as prisoners of war, female representations of provinces, symbols), while also shedding interesting light on how the provincials, Rome's allies and external enemies depicted themselves. Particularly useful is V.’s analysis of the correlation between the terminology used in coin legends (e.g. De Britannis, Victoria Germania, Dacia capta) and the legal status of the subjugated territory (the results are conveniently summarised in a chart on 332). In addition, his study highlights important trends in coinage such as the appearance of the origo Augusti coins in the Severan period, the disappearance of female representations of provinces and the emergence of battle scenes (calcatio colli / serpentis) in the third century a.d.

Navigation through this c. 350-page analysis is not always an easy task, due to V.’s aim of tracing patterns and long-term developments in the representations of empire with the help of numerous detailed case studies. However, the author has done his best to present the results of his study as lucidly as possible. By providing special sections which succinctly summarise the interim results of his investigations, he sees to it that the reader does not lose track of the overall picture. On the basis of his detailed studies, V. draws the conclusion that there was not one single, persistent ‘Darstellungslogik’ that determined the representation of empire over the centuries. Instead, complexity and variety have left their stamp on both textual and visual media. It is thanks to V.’s immensely rich and stimulating interdisciplinary study that this fascinating variety as well as its motives and contexts have now been illuminated appropriately.