From Alesia to Rome. The archaeological adventure of Napoleon III.
NMR| N° d'inventaire | 23068 |
| Format | 20 x 26 |
| Détails | 192 p., paperback with flaps. |
| Publication | Paris, 2020 |
| Etat | Nine |
| ISBN | 9782711874743 |
While writing the History of Julius Caesar, Napoleon III wanted to conduct scientific research and gather tangible evidence of the genius of the Imperator, whom he saw as a providential man, a reformer and a conqueror. To this end, the French Emperor launched a veritable archaeological program in 1861 across Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and the Orient. This highly political project, drawing on the scholarly world and mobilizing soldiers, prefects, diplomats, architects, and residents of the French Academy in Rome, would go beyond its initial goal and, driven by technical innovations such as photography, lay the foundations for scientific archaeology. The excavations of the Palatine and the Gallic War sites, including Alesia, are emblematic of this large-scale undertaking. Cartography, drawing and photography are used to restore reality, attest to the authentic provenance of objects and draw up a panorama that aims to be objective, with the additional challenge of quickly disseminating the excavations and their products to the public, through photographic albums, publishing, casts and museums. From Alesia to Rome: an unprecedented adventure, an essential milestone in the archaeological discipline.
While writing the History of Julius Caesar, Napoleon III wanted to conduct scientific research and gather tangible evidence of the genius of the Imperator, whom he saw as a providential man, a reformer and a conqueror. To this end, the French Emperor launched a veritable archaeological program in 1861 across Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and the Orient. This highly political project, drawing on the scholarly world and mobilizing soldiers, prefects, diplomats, architects, and residents of the French Academy in Rome, would go beyond its initial goal and, driven by technical innovations such as photography, lay the foundations for scientific archaeology. The excavations of the Palatine and the Gallic War sites, including Alesia, are emblematic of this large-scale undertaking. Cartography, drawing and photography are used to restore reality, attest to the authentic provenance of objects and draw up a panorama that aims to be objective, with the additional challenge of quickly disseminating the excavations and their products to the public, through photographic albums, publishing, casts and museums. From Alesia to Rome: an unprecedented adventure, an essential milestone in the archaeological discipline.