Some thoughts on the Roman context

As an extension of the general introduction, this short essay highlights the doubly paradoxical nature of magnificence. Considered an innate virtue, magnificence also corresponded to a code of behaviour that could be acquired through training. Although this code was shared by all the elites of the Italian peninsula, it also encouraged each noble family to strengthen its distinctive identity. The essay then turns to the pontifical court, which attracted the attention of every city in Europe, and highlights the political, social, and religious dynamics at work in the ever-increasing number of ritu- als and ceremonies throughout the seventeenth century. Court spectacles were veritable social rituals, essential to the Roman nobility and its self-representation in the public sphere. At the same time, these performances were displays of magnificence that expressed specific political messages and diplomatic objectives while reinforcing the solidarity of the aristocracy across factions.