The Torch Bearer and the Tutor: The Roman Empire and its Heirs

Speranza

By courtesy of M. Lakkur, of Oxford.

This is a commentary on M. Lakkur's excellent essay,

"The torch bearer and the tutor: prevalent attitudes towards the Roman Empire in Imperial Britain"

----- thanks to O. Kusturica for the reference.

While "British Empire" started to be used early enough -- and there's also the collocation, now being used by post-colonialists, of 'English empire' -- Lakkur will concentrate on late nineteenth-century views onwards.

Lakkur:

"Until the mind-19th century, British historians viewed Roman imperialism as despotic."

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"London as the heir to Rome".

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"The government of Italy has actively drawn upon the "Roman image"".