Alessandro Sebastiani

When I first set out to write this book, my vision was quite different. I had envisioned a sweeping exploration of four ancient cities and the fascinating ways in which archaeology has been employed to influence the present and mold national identities. Rome, being a familiar and captivating setting, naturally became my starting point among these urban landscapes. However, as I delved deeper, I found myself drawn exclusively to the eternal city. The resulting volume focuses on the intricate interplay between the genesis of nations, the science of archaeology, the artistry of architecture, and the nuanced world of ideological placemaking.

They say about the volume:

‘Alessandro Sebastiani’s book is a riveting account of Rome’s transformation at the turn of the 20th century and during the ventennio. It marshals a vast number of sources and produces a gripping panorama of statesmen, trailblazing archaeologists, and visionaries, as they sought to reconcile a monumental past with their vision for Rome.’ Andrea U. de Giorgi, Professor of Classical Studies, Florida State University

‘Alessandro Sebastiani’s book deals with the transformation of Rome at the turn of the 20th century in an original and innovative way, especially in the analysis of the passage (and of the elements of continuity despite the diversity of the context) between ideological instances of post-unification liberal Italy and those of the fascist regime.’ Riccardo Santangeli Valenzani, Professor of Urban Archaeology and Medieval Archaeology, Roma Tre University’

Available at: Cambridge University Press