Eternal Ravenna by Massimiliano David

 

Eternal Ravenna with the subtitle From the Etruscans to the Venetians was published by the Italian publishing house Brepols in 2013 (hardcover). This beautiful (and expensive) book is published in a large format (25 x 33 cm) and it is lavishly illustrated. The pictures are the result of a new photographic campaign undertaken by BAMS Photo. The new pictures in the book are taken by Basilio and Matteo Rodella.

The text is written by the Italian scholar Massimiliano David, who teaches Late Antique Archaeology at the University of Bologna. His book is available in three languages: English, German, and Italian. This review is based on the English version of the book. The English translation is done by Christina Cawthra and Jo-Ann Titmarsh.

The main text is divided into seven chapters, which follow a chronological line from the Etruscans to the Venetian period, as indicated in the subtitle. Ravenna was founded by the Etruscans (the name of the city is an Etruscan word), but we do not know when it was founded. The Republic of Venice controlled Ravenna for more than sixty years (1441-1509). Here is the table of contents:

** Chapter one: THE CITY OF SARCOPHAGI AND MOSAICS
** Chapter two: FROM THE MISTS TO THE SHADOWS
** Chapter three: THE FIFTH CENTURY
** Chapter four: FROM A CENTRE TO AN OUTPOST

** Chapter five: HEADING TOWARDS NEW GEOGRAPHIES
** Chapter six: BETWEEN EUROPE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN
** Chapter seven: LOSING THE SEA

At the end of the book there are four short sections: (1) illustrations and maps; (2) notes with references and additional comments; (3) a general bibliography; and (4) an index of names.

The bibliography betrays the author’s origins; most works listed here are in Italian, but there are a few works in German and English. Among them I must mention two works by Deborah Mauskopf Deliyannis: Ravenna in Late Antiquity (2010, 2014) and Agnellus of Ravenna: The Book of Pontiffs, an English translation of an important account that was written in Latin by the historian Andreas Agnellus between 830 and 840. The English translation was published in 2004.

Eternal Ravenna covers all the major locations of the city. They are presented in text and shown in pictures. As mentioned earlier, the book is lavishly illustrated. There are more than two hundred pictures in this book; most of them are large - one picture often gets one page - and they are all in colour (only a few old maps and drawings are in black-and-white). In other words: the quality of the illustrations is extremely high.

In order to demonstrate how comprehensive the pictorial coverage of each location is, I will mention a few examples:

** The so-called Mausoleum of Galla Placidia is shown in a series of wonderful pictures on pp. 78-101 (more than twenty pages)

** La Basilica di Sant’Apollinare Nuovo is shown is a series of excellent pictures on pp. 112 plus 115-123 plus 194-197 (more than ten pages)

** The Mausoleum of Theodoric is shown in a series of fabulous pictures on pp. 130-136

** La Basilica di San Vitale is shown in a series of wonderful pictures on pp. 142-167 (more than twenty pages). The famous mosaic which shows Emperor Justinian and his court appears on pp. 148-149, while the equally famous mosaic which shows Empress Theodora and her court appears on pp. 150-151

** La Basilica di Sant’Apollinare in Classe is shown in a series of excellent pictures on pp. 170-189

In addition, we have the so-called Palace of Theodoric on pp. 208-209 and three fine objects on page 49: the sarcophagus of Julia Prima, the sarcophagus of Olia Tertulla, and the sarcophagus of Gaius Didius Concordianus. A final example is the funerary monument of Publius Longidienus, who worked as a ship carpenter. There are two pictures of this monument on pp. 34-35.

I like this book, first and foremost because of the fabulous illustrations. The text is informative, but unfortunately it does not measure up to the high standard of the illustrations. There are many flaws, and they occur throughout the book. Who is to blame for this? I am not always sure: the author, the translators or the book-editor? The flaws can be divided into five categories.

THE FIRST CATEGORY:
Factual mistakes

** A paragraph on page 52 begins: “When power passed into Diocletian’s hands in 285…” We do not know when this emperor was born or when he died, but we do know when he ruled: from 284 to 305. Why does David not know this?

** The caption to illustration # 54 A and B describes a solidus (a coin) issued by Honorius (page 62). The caption begins: “On the observes…” The front of a coin is called the obverse, while the back is called the reverse. Perhaps the translators are to blame for this?

** On page 64 we hear about “the sixth consul of Honorius.” It should be the sixth consulship of Honorius. The same mistake appears on page 69. Obviously, the translators do not know the difference between a consul and a consulship.

** On the same page Galla Placidia is described as “the emperor’s stepsister.” In fact she was his half-sister: they had the same father (Theodosius) but not the same mother.

** On the same page we are told that Constantius died in 421, “leaving Galla a widow and Honoria and Valentinianus orphans.” The two children did not become orphans, because their mother was still alive. They became fatherless.

** A paragraph on page 70 begins like this: “With the return of Galla Placidia and her children to Italy in 426…” In fact, they returned in 425. Valentinianus was crowned as the future emperor in Rome on 23 October 425. His mother was with him, because he was only a boy at the time. He was born in 419, so he was only six years old when this ceremony took place. Why does David not know this?

** On page 138 the author presents the famous sarcophagus of Seda, who died in 541. David quotes the inscription in Latin and adds an English translation, which runs as follows: “Here lies in peace the illustrious Sayda, eunuch and cubicularium of King Theodoric, who lived for some forty years and was buried on the fourth day before the Ides of March in the year in which he was Consul Basilius the younger, during the fourth indiction.”

There are several problems here:

(1) The name of the man is Seda, not Sayda. (2) His title is cubicularius, not cubicularium, i.e. he was a high civil servant, often translated as chamberlain. (3) The latter half of the translation is completely wrong. Here is what it should be:

“He was buried on the fourth day before the Ides of March in the year when Basilius the Younger was consul, during the fourth year of the indiction.”

Anicius Faustus Albinus Basilius was the last Roman consul. He served in 541 and surprisingly he did not have a colleague. Seda was never a consul, as the faulty English translation implies. The name of the consul is used to determine the year in which Seda died. An indiction is a period or a cycle of 15 years. This concept was introduced in the western empire in AD 312, during the reign of Constantine. When we have the Latin expression “quarta indictione,” it means in the fourth year of the current 15-year cycle. None of this is explained in the book. Who is to blame for the faulty translation of the Latin inscription? The author or the translators? I do not know. I only know the translation is wrong.

** Bishop Agnellus is mentioned several times. On page 69 we are told he served 557-570, which is true. But on page 203 we are told he died in 569, which is false. The author insists on the false date when he continues: “Four years had gone by since Justinian’s death and one since the Longobards had entered Italy by force.”

Justinian died in 565, so five years had gone by since this event. The Longobards invaded Italy in 568, so two years had gone by since this event. The author is inconsistent: he gives two different dates for the same event.

** Agnellus the historian is mentioned several times. On page 209 his first name is given as Andrea, which is wrong. The wrong name also appears in the index. On page 9 his first name is given as Andreas, which is true. Again we can see the author is inconsistent.

** The so-called “Donation of Constantine” is mentioned three times (pp. 214, 221, and 222). We are never told that this document is a forgery. How can David mention this document three times without telling us that it is a hoax? Does he think it is genuine?

** On page 215 there are two pictures. The pictures are fine, but the captions are wrong. The caption for # 171 (the upper picture) should be: “Sarcophagus of Archbishop Felix” (not Damian), while the caption for # 172 (the lower picture) should be: “Sarcophagus of archbishop Gratiosus” (not Felix).

THE SECOND CATEGORY:
Unfortunate statements

** On page 28 David mentions the small town of Cesena and adds the following words: “In a letter Cicero, the orator’s brother, refers to Cesena pejoratively.”

The full name of the orator is Marcus Tullius Cicero. He is known as Cicero. The full name of his brother is Quintus Tullius Cicero. He is known as Quintus. In a note David refers to Ad Fam. XVI, 27. If you check this reference, you will see it is a letter from Quintus to Tiro, Cicero’s secretary, written in December 44 BC. By the way, the name of the town is Caesena (not Cesena). David should know this: the correct name appears on a map at the end of his book: # 2, page 260 (but the wrong name appears on another map: # VII.2, page 264). Moreover, Quintus does not criticize the town; he criticizes the two consuls of that year, Hirtius and Pansa.

The standard commentary on Cicero’s letters is edited by D. R. Shackleton Bailey. Regarding this letter he says: “Caesena was a small town near the Rubicon in Cisalpine Gaul… But what put this locality into Quintus’s head there’s no knowing.”

David’s statement about Cicero (which is, in fact, about Quintus) is most unfortunate, because it is inaccurate and because it does not add anything to our understanding of Ravenna’s history.

** A strange passage appears on page 30 and again on page 34: “… under Julius and Claudius.” I know Claudius, who ruled 41-54. But who is Julius? Several emperors took this name, because they wished to be connected with Gaius Julius Caesar, but no emperor is known by this name. Since this passage appears two times, it is not just a misprint. It must be a misunderstanding.

** David seems to believe that Pope Leo the Great saved Italy from Attila and the Huns. He says so twice (pp. 105, 205). This is what Leo and the Catholic Church want us to believe, but it is wishful thinking. The pope did not have the power to stop Attila. Other factors were at work here. For more information, see The Enemies of Rome by Philip Matyszak (2004, 2008), chapter 17, in particular page 278.

THE THIRD CATEGORY:
The Italian version of ancient names is not always translated into English

** In the text we have the Greek historian Dio Cassius, but in the notes we have “Dione Cassio.” Notes to chapter 2, page 272, notes 47 and 60.

** In the text we have the Roman poet Martial, but in the notes we have “Marziale.” Notes to chapter 2, page 273, note 87.

** Note 41, page 273, refers to “the usurper Giovanni Primicerio.” His name is Ioannes. In English he is known as Joannes or simply John. His title is primicerius notatiorum, i.e. a senior civil servant.

** Notes to chapter 4, page 273. Note 32 says: “Su Procopio CAMERON 1996.” The translators forgot to translate this note. The Italian text means: On Procopius, CAMERON 1996.

** Most of these examples are found in the notes, but some of them pop up in the main text. On page 52 we have the “Coliseum” instead of the Colosseum, and on page 138 we have the banker “Giuliano Argentario” whose real name is Julius Argentarius. The latter mistake also appears on page 190 and in the index!

** On page 190 we have “general Narsete.” In English he is known as Narses, and on page 203 we have “general Baduario,” whose real name is Baduarius.

** On page 210 we have “Archbishop Felice,” whose real name is Felix. The same mistake appears on page 213 and in the index!

** On page 214 we have “Archbishop Grazioso,” whose real name is Gratiosus, and “Archbishop Valerio,” whose real name is Valerius.

As far as I can see, the English translation is quite good when it comes to general information. The translators are professional, but they are not really familiar with the world of ancient Greece and ancient Rome.

THE FOURTH CATEGORY:
Unfortunate layout of text and illustrations

Some publishers of picture books pay great attention to the layout of the text. They make sure the text comes to a full stop at the bottom of a page. This is not the case here. The text is routinely interrupted by a series of illustrations, sometimes a long series of illustrations. Here are two examples where the text is interrupted in the middle of a sentence:

** Page 64 – cited as ///// supporting – page 69
** Page 77 – a sort ///// of monumental hegemony – page 104

Sometimes it is worse: sometimes the text is interrupted in the middle of a word! Here are three examples:

** Page 140 – the so- ///// called – page 168
** Page 168 – deco- ///// rative – page 190
** Page 190 – Justin- ///// ian – page 198

THE FIFTH CATEGORY:
Misprints

** Page 76: “Saint John th Evangelist.” We want “the.”
** Page 190: “an eulogy.” We want “a eulogy.”
** Page 205: “Emperor Mauric.” We want “Maurice.”
** Page 213: “Rio de Janeiro cannot be judge on its favelas.” The correct form of the verb is “judged.”

In the old days, before the computer, accidents like these could happen, and they could be forgiven. But nowadays we work with computers, and almost every computer program for writing will issue a warning, a red line or a blue line under the word, if it is misspelled or if it is not found in the dictionary. It seems the author or the translators or the book-editor ignored a warning against these misprints, and this sign of careless proofreading cannot be forgiven.

CONCLUSION

Ravenna is a fascinating city. It is famous for sarcophagi and mosaics from ancient times (the Roman Empire, the kingdom of the Goths, and the Byzantine Empire). It is also famous because it is the place where the Italian poet Dante Alighieri spent his last years (1318-1321). There are many monuments in Ravenna from different periods and many of them are well preserved. If you are interested in art and/or history, there is a lot to see and to do in this city.

Eternal Ravenna is not a guidebook. You do not want to take it with you when you are going to Italy. In the first place, it is much too big and much too heavy. It is not very handy at all. Secondly, there is no practical information about where the monuments are located or when they are open to the public. For these things you need a traditional guidebook (or you can simply use the internet).

Eternal Ravenna is written and published for the armchair traveller who wants to study the art and history of Ravenna without leaving his or her home. But the book is much more than that. If you are planning a trip to Ravenna, you can use it to prepare your visit. The text gives you background information, while the illustrations show you what to look for when you get there. After a visit to Ravenna, this book will be a weighty and wonderful souvenir.

How many stars does this book deserve? When I consider the illustrations, my answer is five stars. No doubt about it. But when I consider the text, my answer is only three stars. There are many flaws here. Taken one by one, they may seem trivial. Taken together, they become a serious problem. How could the author, the translators, and the book-editor fail to notice and correct the flaws I have documented in this review? When I consider the book as a whole, I think it deserves a rating of four stars.

PS. The Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna is a deluxe product in two volumes edited by Patrizia Angiolini Martinelli and published by Franco Cosimo Panini in 1997. The price is about £ 388! The Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna is a deluxe product edited by the same scholar and published by the same publisher in 1996. The price is about £ 165! A bilingual book about both these monuments edited by Gianfranco Malafarina is available at a much more reasonable price (about £ 11): La Basilica di San Vitale e il Mausoleo di Galla Placidia // The Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia (2008, reprinted 2012).

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Massimiliano David,

Eternal Ravenna: From the Etruscans to the Venetians,

Brepols, 2013, 288 pages

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For more information about Ravenna, see my blogs:

Ravenna by Corrado Ricci

Ravenna: A Study by Edward Hutton

Ravenna: The Palace of Theodoric

Ravenna: Piazza del Popolo

Ravenna: Piazza Garibaldi

Ravenna: Sites to See and Prices to Pay

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