Romanization, and conversely the persistence of local identities, has been a prominent strand of research on ancient Italy but these issues have, however, been discussed most fully in the context of material culture and the epigraphic record. Examination of some of the socio-political aspects has perhaps been more limited, despite their importance to our understanding of élite politics and culture, and attempts to address this are, therefore, particularly welcome. This book aims to examine the role of ethnicity in senatorial identity by tracing the Italian origins of senatorial families and examining attitudes to the ethnic identity of families who originated outside Rome. In particular, it starts from the standpoint that an ethnic origin from outside Rome was not necessarily a negative attribute, and that it could be (and was) exploited to gain enhanced social status or political advantage.

The author makes a convincing case for the role of ethnicity as a positive element in the identity of some senatorial families during the early and middle years of the Republic. Far from concealing their origins outside Rome, many senators from families of Latin or Sabine origin appear to have utilised it to good effect, to create distinctive personal or family identities. This was achieved by promoting particular genealogies or associations with local cults, but coin symbols were also a prominent way of advertising a particular ethnic identity. Not all identities were equal, however, and the author makes a persuasive case for the positive aspects of a Latin or Sabine origin, which was associated with high status, long incorporation into Rome, and various desirable moral qualities. Etruscans, on the other hand, were a different matter, and Etruscan origins were significantly less celebrated, although some senators of Etruscan origin did actively promote their ethnic origin as part of their identity. The author argues persuasively that the acceptability of non-Roman ethnicity depends partly on the specific nature of individual origin, with some ethnicities attracting more favourable stereotypes than others, and partly on the length of association with Rome.

The author argues his case persuasively for the early and middle Republic, but the sections on the later Republic are less convincing. The final chapters of the book, which cover the perceptions of ethnicity of senatorial families from other areas of Italy and ethnic identities after the Social War, are probably the weakest section of the work. Nevertheless, the fact that the author pulls together the evidence for senators of Italic origin and also for the various ethnic stereotypes associated with their regions of origin, provides a useful corpus of information. However, the fact that most of this relates to the period after the Social War means that the social and political significance of Italian origin was very different, and this aspect requires further discussion than it receives. As might be expected, individual advertisement of ethnic origin/difference amongst élite families of more recent Italian origin was much less prominent in the period immediately after the Social War, when Italian origins might have had more negative connotations. However, it is clear that senators of Italian origin cultivated networks of social contacts throughout Italy and that these played an important part in political behaviour — a point which could have been explored in greater detail. The book concludes with a brief discussion of the Augustan period, during which there was a resurgence of interest in Italian origins, and greater use of these as a positive aspect of identity. Although the chapters on the early and middle Republic are, comparatively, stronger than those on the later part of the period, this should not detract from its basic thesis, which is well-argued and which adds a significant element to our understanding of the political and ethnic cultures of the Roman élite. Overall, the book represents a useful and interesting addition to the literature on ethnicity in ancient Italy, and on the interplay of Roman and Italian elements in Roman élite culture.