Figures exemplaires de pouvoir sous l’Empire dans la littérature gréco-latine

The exemplum held immense power in antiquity, especially in the political field. What role did historical or legendary figures from the Greco-Roman past play during the Empire in speeches intended to build, legitimise or question power? How were they selected? How did they work? These are the questions that the eighteen contributions in this volume seek to answer. This multifaceted approach crosses several literary genres, including poetry, historiography, and political or philosophical discourse, which are examined over six centuries. It considers different types of power or authority (imperial power, but also the authority of the magistrate in the Greek city during Roman domination, and the power of bishops). This highlights the plasticity of exempla that, depending on the context, could justify or question a vast diversity of ideologies and practices of power.