New Books in History Susanna Elm, "The Importance of Being Gorgeous: Gender and Christian Imperial Rule in Late Antiquity" (U California Press, 2025)
Jan 13, 2026
In this engaging discussion, Susanna Elm, a historian specializing in late antiquity, shares insights from her book on the intersection of beauty, power, and masculinity in the later Roman Empire. She introduces the concept of 'virness' as a crucial element of imperial representation. Elm explains how the gorgeousness of emperors influenced political dynamics and unity, particularly during crises. She also touches on the role of erotic politics, child emperors, and the unique tensions between imperial authority and perceived imperfections in leadership.
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Pacatus’s Panegyric: Hardness Plus Mercy
- Elm analyzes Pacatus's panegyric where Theodosius is praised for combining Roman hardness and maternal mercy.
- The speech shows the emperor determines who counts as a vir based on victory or defeat.
Clothing Laws As Imperial Messaging
- Clothing laws acted as ostentatious legislation signaling imperial control over elite appearance.
- Regulating boots or jeweled garments warned elites not to mimic usurpers and reminded them who defines virness.
Heliogabalus As A Warning Tale
- Elm reads the Historia Augusta's Heliogabalus as a late fourth-century satire warning about child emperors' domination by powerful men.
- The narrative uses sexualized domination to dramatize fears of emperors occupying subordinate roles.
