timely contribution to ancient cultural history ... in thoroughly reconsidering an important element of Roman culture, this book reaffirms its profoundly political nature.

Jane D. Chaplin, The Classical Review

The book is an important contribution to Roman family history as well as to the study of Roman power politics. Clearly written; well organized. Very valuable listing, with translation, of testimonia.

Choice

In addition to an exhaustive discussion of the imagines... the book contains highly plausible, useful, and in some cases... ground-breaking accounts of many other subjects. The documentation is everywhere extensive and clearly presented... and... the argumentation is generally, lucid, and easy to follow... the book is a valuable contribution to scholarship, and I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in any aspect of the ancient Roman world.

David Mankin