Alessandro Sebastiani

I am delighted to share an insightful review of my recent book, Roma Antica e l’Ideologia Nazionale Italiana. Trasformazioni di una città dal Risorgimento al fascismo, written by Angelo Cimarosti and published on his blog.

Cimarosti’s review captures the core themes of my research, particularly the concept of placemaking and the ideological construction of identity-driven spaces. He highlights how both the Kingdom of Italy and the Fascist regime instrumentalized Rome’s ancient past, reshaping its monuments and urban landscape to assert national identity and political legitimacy. From the reconfiguration of the Imperial Fora to the transformation of the Mausoleum of Augustus, these interventions reveal the deep entanglement between archaeology, power, and historical narrative.

I highly recommend reading Cimarosti’s review, which offers a sharp and compelling perspective on the book’s arguments. You can find it HERE

Let me know your thoughts—do these dynamics of placemaking and ideological appropriation still resonate in contemporary urban spaces?