The ancient world. Interpretations and public uses of antiquity in Fascist Italy

The article examines some recent volumes dedicated to the public use of antiquity in postunification Italy, with particular emphasis to the myths of Rome in the fascist era. The author highlights how the historiographical debate has undergone significant transformation in recent decades. In particular, antiquity has become a privileged lens for understanding broader political, cultural, and social dynamics, concerning the processes of legitimising power, the role of images and exhibitions, urban space, and the importance attributed to architecture, archaeology, and art. The discussion on the public uses of antiquity and of the myths of Rome allows us to highlight the many implications of this issue: the various protagonists, the instruments of the transmission of history, and the aspects of both continuity and rupture between liberal, fascist, and contemporary Italy.