Rome Reborn on Western Shores examines the literature of the Revolutionary era to explore the ways in which American patriots employed the classics and to assess antiquity's importance to the early political culture of the United States. Where other writers have concentrated on political theory and ideology, Shalev demonstrates that classical discourse constituted a distinct mode of historical thought during the era, tracing the role of the classics from roughly 1760 to 1800 and beyond. His analysis shows how the classics provided a critical perspective on the management of the...

First published in 1880, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ became a best-seller. The
popular novel spawned an 1899 stage adaptation, reaching audiences of over
10 million, and two highly successful film adaptations. For over a century, it has
become a ubiquitous pop cultural presence, representing a deeply powerful story
and monumental experience for some and a defining work of bad taste and false
piety for others. The first and only collection of essays on this pivotal cultural icon,
Bigger Than "Ben-Hur" addresses Lew Wallace's beloved classic to explore its
polarizing...

First published in 1880, Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ became a best-seller. The
popular novel spawned an 1899 stage adaptation, reaching audiences of over
10 million, and two highly successful film adaptations. For over a century, it has
become a ubiquitous pop cultural presence, representing a deeply powerful story
and monumental experience for some and a defining work of bad taste and false
piety for others. The first and only collection of essays on this pivotal cultural icon,
Bigger Than "Ben-Hur" addresses Lew Wallace's beloved classic to explore its
polarizing...