THE CITY SPEAKS: CITIES, CITIZENS, AND CIVIC DISCOURSE IN LATE ANTIQUITY AND THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES
Megan Welton
This article investigates how civic discourse connects the virtue of citizens and fortunes cities in a variety late antique early medieval sources post-Roman west. It reveals assume human qualities through rhetorical technique personification and, crucially, ways which individuals communities likewise are described with terminology. also analyzes city community made to speak one another at times crisis celebration. By examining diverse range including epideictic poetry, chronicles, hagiographies, epigraphic inscriptions, this addresses multiple modes thought that utilize discourse. first explores authors employed non-urban contexts, they conceptualized interior construction an individual's mind soul as fortified citadel, praised ecclesiastical secular leaders structures, extended terminology preeminently space monastery. The then examines personified spoke their could join song urban procession. Civic encomia invective further illustrate sought unify virtuous conduct ultimate fate city's security. concludes historical case study two programs mural ninth-century Rome. Ultimately, argues repeated emphatic exhortations provide access intertwine her citizens, order persuade audiences act accordance precepts virtue.
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