{"title":"Susanna Elm","description":"\u003cp\u003eExplore the captivating works of Susanna Elm, a distinguished scholar in the field of Late Antiquity. Her insightful exploration into this fascinating era brings history to life with a perfect blend of academic rigour and engaging narrative. Through her writings, Elm delves into the complexities of historical transitions, with particular focus on cultural and religious transformations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAmong her notable works is \u003cem\u003eThe Importance of Being Gorgeous\u003c\/em\u003e, a thought-provoking examination that investigates the intricate ties between aesthetics and political power in ancient societies. Elm's expertise shines through as she skilfully unravels the nuanced dynamics of authority, gender, and representation during these pivotal times.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIdeal for readers with an interest in history and military studies, Elm’s books serve as both a valuable educational resource and an engaging read. Her works are deeply informative, offering meticulously researched insights while remaining accessible to both scholars and general history enthusiasts alike. Dive into the world of Susanna Elm and discover the intertwining stories of beauty and power within the intricate tapestry of antiquity.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-importance-of-being-gorgeous-by-susanna-elm-9780520413344","title":"The Importance of Being Gorgeous","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press's Open Access publishing program. Visit \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.luminosoa.org\"\u003ewww.luminosoa.org\u003c\/a\u003e to learn more.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this book, Susanna Elm radically changes our understanding of imperial rule in the later Roman Empire. As she shows, the so-called eastern decadence of the Emperor Theodosius and his successors was in fact a calculated revolution in masculinity and the representation of imperial power.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere, the emperor's hard yet soft, mature yet youthfully gorgeous beauty was central. Because the Theodosian emperors were divine—gods one could see—so was their beauty: their manliness was the face and body of God. The emperors' gorgeousness, their sparkling regalia, and how they wished their bodies to be seen by their elite subjects—who authored the texts on which Elm's analysis is based—were as important as laws, taxes, and armies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTheir \u003cem\u003evir\u003c\/em\u003e-ness strategically deployed male same-sex erotic desire to enhance the unity of the realm in times of tension, incorporate the signifying potency of child emperors, and create a flexible yet stable model of Christian sovereignty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47031859380460,"sku":"9780520413344","price":66.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/7353773482373.jpg?v=1764150657"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.pro\/collections\/susanna-elm.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}