Gli imperatori romani nella Divina Commedia

The essay evaluates Dante’s reflection on the Roman Empire and the individual figures of Emperors recalled in the Divine Comedy. Dante, welding the great heritage of the Classical tradition with the contribution of the Christian reflection, develops a markedly providentialist concept of history. The history of Rome and that of the Empire are thus reinterpreted by the poet in a soteriological key. Dante meets Caesar, considered, according to a historiographic tradition going back to Suetonius, as the first Emperor, in the Limbo, together with the mighty spirits. This same interpretation determines the adoption of an undoubtedly positive opinion of Augustus’ Principate, of Tiberius’ and of Titus’. Domitian, on the other hand, on whose figure antiquity preserved an extremely negative judgement, is only remembered as a persecutor of Christians. Trajan and Constantine are placed in the Heaven of Jupiter, amongst the spirits of the righteous Kings and Rulers. Finally, in the center of Dante’s political and juridical reflection, the figure of Justinian stands out, in the Heaven of Mercury, intent and totally absorbed, due to divine Will, to guarantee the earthly happiness of men through the instruments of law.