This interdisciplinary volume explains the phenomenon of nationalism in 19th-century Europe through the prism of Graeco-Roman antiquity. Through a series of case studies covering a broad range of source material, it demonstrates the different purposes the heritage of the classical world was put to during a turbulent period in European history. Contributors include classicists, historians, archaeologists, art historians and others.

In the ancient world, letter-writing not only forged connections between individuals, but also helped to construct and cultivate group-identities and communities. This volume explores the interrelation of epistolary communication and socio-political practice across four key cultural configurations: Greece, Rome, Judaism, and Christianity.