Nothing Ordinary Here Statius as Creator of Distinction in the Silvae

Through a combined methodology of philology, social theory and archaeology, this book offers a reinterpretation of Statius's "Silvae,"
A special feature is the book's catalogue of material wealth, an examination that for the first time itemizes valuable material objects that appear in the "Silvae" (eg., furniture, mosaics, aromatics) and evaluates their literary and cultural significance. By mapping the social landscape of various individuals and illuminating the cultural values associated with different types of material and non-material wealth through which widely disparate Romans sought personal distinction and status, the book makes a significant contribution not only to "Silvae" scholarship, but also to studies on Domitianic culture as a whole.

Introduction: Review of Scholarship; P. Bourdieu's Theory of Distinction
1. Statius as a Legitimate Spokesperson
2. Manifestations of Material Wealth
3. Statius' Language of Wealth
4. Distinction
Silvae 1.2: Stella and Violentilla: the distinction of poetry
Silvae 1.5: Claudius Etruscus' Balneum: the distintion of taste
Silvae 2.1: Melior and Glaucias: the distintion of paternal pietas
Silvae 4.8: Julius Menecrates and Pollius Felix: the distinction of fatherhood and grandfatherhood
Silvae 2.2: Pollius Felix: the distinction of Epicurean Quies
Silvae 4.6: Novius Vindex: the distinction of connoisseurship
Silvae 5.2: Crispinus: the distinction of youth and pedigree
Silvae 5.1: Priscilla: the distinction of a women for the distinction of a man
Conclusion: Statius' vox aurea