This work focuses on some of the more unfamiliar aspects of the Roman experience, where the historian needs not just knowledge but also imagination. It expores how the Romans made sense of their past and how people today can understand that history, despite the inadequate evidence for early Rome and the Republic. All Latin and Greek source material is translated. The first essay in this collection was the Ronald Syme Lecture for 1993; "The Origins of Roman Historiography" argues that dramatic performances at the public games were the medium through which the Romans in the "pre-literary" period made sense of their own past.

Historical Imagination examines the threshold between what historians consider to be proper, imagination-free history and the malpractice of excessive imagination, asking where the boundary between the two sits and the limits of permitted imagination for the historian. We use "imagination" to refer to a mental skill that encompasses two different tasks: the reconstruction of previously experienced parts of the world and the creation of new objects and experiences with no direct connection to the actual world. In history, imagination means using the mind's eye to picture both the actual and inactual at the same time. All historical works employ at least some creative imagination, but an excess is considered "too much". Under what circumstances are historians permitted to cross this boundary into creative imagination and how far can they go? Supporting theory with relatable examples, Staley shows how historical works are a complex combination of mimetic and creative imagination and offers a heuristic for assessing this ratio in any work of history. Setting out complex theoretical concepts in an accessible and understandable manner and encouraging the reader to consider both the nature and limits of historical imagination, this is an ideal volume for students and scholars of the philosophy of history.

"A thorough and breathtaking review of modern historiography, anthropology, and literary criticism as they relate to the American frontier."—Robert V. Hine, author of Second Sight

Distinguished historians and literary scholars explore the overlap, interplay, and interaction between history and fiction.

The 19th century laid the foundations of history, both professional and popular. The authors of this collection compare Britain, the Netherlands, and Belgium, unearthing the ways in which history was conceived and then utilized, usually for nationalistic purposes.

This book provides a comprehensive account of Chinese historiography on modern China. It examines the major master narratives and modes of narration in representing the events and overarching themes in modern Chinese history.

Some of the most exciting and innovative work in the humanities is occurring at the intersection of intellectual history and critical theory. This volume includes work from some of the most prominent contemporary scholars in the humanities.