Roma nella memoria e nelle immaginazioni del Medio Evo vol. II

"Roma nella memoria e nelle immaginazioni del Medio Evo vol. II" by Arturo Graf is a historical account written in the late 19th century. This volume explores how the city of Rome was remembered and imagined during the Middle Ages, particularly through various legends surrounding historical figures. The book discusses the interplay between history and mythology, focusing on pivotal characters like Emperor Trajan. At the start of the work, the focus is on the figure of Trajan as portrayed by Dante as a soul in paradise, despite his historical reputation as a persecutor of Christians. The opening delves into the contradiction between Trajan’s umbra and his treatment in medieval legend, exploring how his narrative evolved over time to emphasize his virtues, particularly his commitment to justice. The text presents an examination of Trajan's acts of benevolence and justice, particularly the well-known legend of his encounter with a widow seeking justice for her slain son, setting the stage for discussions on the synthesis of fact and fiction in the historical memory of Rome. (This is an automatically generated summary.)