Since Z. and E.'s Mit Mythen leben was published in 2004, it has been the wish of any buff of Roman funerary sculpture in the English-speaking world to read it in English. Their wish has finally come true; the English edition of this much coveted book broadens the audience of its groundbreaking discourse.
The book has held a unique position in the vast literature on sarcophagus studies. Understanding the mythological reliefs on Roman sarcophagi has been an early interest of scholars who either saw them as symbolic of an afterlife, or mere ornamentation constructed by culture.Footnote 1 Z. and E., however, take the emphasis away from religion or decoration, and instead focus on how the reliefs enriched the life of the bereaved by providing them with consolation. The seeds of this sophisticated paradigm were sown by other publications, most importantly by Z. himself.Footnote 2 This book, however, develops the earlier arguments into a discourse that aims to illuminate the rich rhetoric of mourning expressed by mythological decoration on sarcophagi.
The book concentrates on the ‘metropolitan sarcophagi’ produced in the city of Rome. However, the paradigm paves the way for similar studies on sarcophagi in other parts of the Empire. The book also focuses predominantly on sarcophagi decorated with mythological subject matter, but does not fail to consider the so-called vita humana sarcophagi, those decorated with scenes from the life of the deceased. It is divided into two main parts. The first, written by Z., is concerned with the meaning and perception of sarcophagus reliefs. The second part, ‘Documentation’, is written by E. The reasoning behind this division is explained in the foreword (p. x): ‘since the main text was conceived in a thematic way that did not allow for an in-depth examination of individual myths and sarcophagi in their entirety’, it was combined with a documentation section that analyses 20 important myths and 36 sarcophagi. These myths, listed alphabetically from Achilles to Theseus, are narrated with reference to primary sources. The iconography of the sarcophagi most relevant to each myth is elucidated. This section is a book within a book, since it is not only useful for sarcophagus enthusiasts, but also for those who are interested in ancient mythology or iconography. Moreover, the detailed description of relief decoration is particularly useful for those who have no access to the sarcophagi themselves, or else may only acquire this information by a substantial amount of research.
The main part by Z. is divided into five chapters. Chapter 1, ‘Images with a Long History’, investigates the archaeological context of the sarcophagi, and how they were viewed by the family within the closed space of the tomb on special occasions, such as festivals. Then, Z. hypothesises that myths on the sarcophagi were viewed not necessarily as symbolic of the patron's religious beliefs, but as allegories that are in some way relevant to the life of the deceased. These allegories contribute to the perceived meaning in three essential ways: (1) by means of renewing the mourning process every time the family visits the tomb and views the tragic myths of dying; (2) by providing consolation to the bereaved; or (3) by alluding to the life of the deceased and death by means of allegorical and visual links that Z. calls ‘bridges’ (Brücken).
Chapter 2, ‘Mourning, Grief, and Comfort: the Solace of Myth’, is about tragic myths and scenes of dying, such as Niobids, or scenes of abduction, such as Persephone. Z. suggests that such scenes representing the suffering by mythological heroes justify the suffering of ordinary individuals and give the bereaved some relief by reminding them of the mortal nature of life. Chapter 3, ‘Visions of Bliss’, is dedicated to images of felicity such as Nereids, Dionysiac thiasos or Seasons. According to Z., such myths console the viewers by reminding them of the pleasures of life or the happiness that awaits the deceased in the afterlife. Chapter 4, ‘Self-Representation, Role Models, and Ideals’, is about how mythological images were used to represent virtues of the deceased, and how portrait heads placed on the bodies of gods elevate the status of the dead. Chapter 5, ‘Images and Values in Transition’, handles the changes in the nature of myths and the much debated third-century c.e. phenomenon of ‘demythologization’ (Entmythologisierung), the process of shying away from the myths altogether. Christian sarcophagi that reflect new ideas of salvation are also covered in this chapter.
The book is seminal and groundbreaking for many reasons. First, it takes into account the role of human psychology in perception, which is a factor largely ignored in historical studies. Second, it suggests that this perception does not work in one straightforward way; instead, the multifaceted imagery proffers many different options to choose from depending on the education or experience of the viewer. Third, the evidence for the argument was drawn from contemporary social life and literature, where myths were ubiquitously employed. Fourth and most importantly, the book divorces itself from earlier studies, such as Cumont's influential work, because it lays emphasis on the myth's role to help the grieving process or to elevate the status of the deceased in this life, rather than to invest in the afterlife (Cumont, op. cit.). Hence the title of the book: ‘Living’ with myths.
Despite the paradigmatic nature and high quality of scholarship displayed in this book, there are a few recently raised questions that the present reviewer wishes the book had more extensively addressed. For instance, a recent study by E. Mayer, admittedly inspired by Z. and E.'s paradigm, suggests that most sarcophagi with mythological scenes can be attributed to the merchant class (E. Mayer, The Ancient Middle Classes. Urban Life and Aesthetics in the Roman Empire. 100 bce–250 ce [2012]). One wonders whether Z. and E. think social class has anything to do with the particular selection and perception of myths. Likewise, the main argument in Z. and E. was based on the assumption that the sarcophagi were viewed by the family in closed contexts of the tomb. However, a recent study by E. Thomas shows that some sarcophagi were displayed out in the open air to the public (E. Thomas, ‘“Nero's Tomb” and the Crisis of the Third Century: Roman Sarcophagi as Public and Private Monuments’, Res 61/62 [2012], 132–51). Would such a context modify the choice and perception of myths?
Those who already own the German edition may still benefit from the book, since there are several improvements in the English edition; the bibliography has been updated and an index added. The excellent translation by J. Slater is loyal to Z.'s fluent and sophisticated writing style, and does not make one miss the original edition. Where appropriate, Slater provides the original German words of well-known concepts.
The print quality of this book is exquisite. The format is very similar to the German edition. Even the photo on the dust cover is from the front side of the same sarcophagus. The text is accompanied by several images of superb quality, some of which are introduced to the English-speaking audience for the first time. However, this exemplary publication format also contributed to the high price of the volume, which makes it outside the reach of many students, scholars and even small libraries. One wonders whether it would be worthwhile to publish a less glamorous paperback in English, since the glossy discourse in this book will have no difficulties making up for the lack of glossy paper.
Despite its cost, this book is a must for university and college libraries, and for scholars that admire Z. and E.'s work, or do research on Roman funerary art, Roman sculpture and mythological iconography. It will be a fundamental masterpiece in their bookcase, and will nourish more than one generation of scholarship.
