"Invidia", concorrenza e usurpazioni nelle "Res gestae" di Ammiano Marcellino

In Ammianus Marcellinus’ historical work, the phenomena of envy, rivalry, and competition assume considerable importance and become a key interpretative framework for the political events . An analysis of the Latin term invidia, which recurs throughout the 'Res gestae', reveals how the concept of invidia revolves around forms of competition centred on the emperor and the imperial court. Contrary to certain recent sociological approaches, which have emphasized the existence of a triadic model whereby political competition in the later Roman Empire appears as a struggle between two individuals or political actors seeking to secure the favour of the emperor, this study instead highlights the importance of the emperor himself as an active participant and central protagonist in processes of competition, insofar as the emperor seeks to assert both his centrality and his superiority.