14-16 d.C.: prove di principato. Tiberio, Germanico e la politica estera dopo Teutoburgo

Il 14 d.C. rappresenta una data chiave nella storia di Roma: il principato, la forma di governo ideata dal vincitore delle guerre civili, va incontro alla sua prima grande prova, quella della successione. Formalmente lo Stato era retto ancora dalle antiche istituzioni repubblicane, ma l'anomalia rappresentata dalla figura soverchiante del pronipote di Cesare e la totale concentrazione del potere nelle sue mani rendevano evidente ad ogni politico avveduto che la continuità con la tradizione era affatto superficiale. Se questa “finzione” poteva essere tollerata per Augusto, che cosa sarebbe stato dopo la sua morte? In che modo si sarebbe potuta garantire la permanenza di un'istituzione che era sorta in maniera rivoluzionaria, frutto di un progressivo accentramento di poteri? A tenere banco in quell'anno non erano solamente le questioni legate al mantenimento del potere imperiale e alla successione ad Augusto: sempre il 14 d.C. rappresenta, infatti, una data chiave per l'analisi della politica estera romana, alle prese con la gestione del dopo-Teutoburgo. É pertanto lecito interrogarsi sull'orientamento strategico dettato dal cambio al vertice dell'impero. Tiberio si conformò alle linee guida dettate dal suo predecessore (e dal suo discusso testamento in Dio.Cass. LVI, 33, 5)? Quali obiettivi si proponeva di raggiungere attraverso le missioni di guerra affidate a Germanico tra il 14 e il 16 d.C.? Proposito di questa breve riflessione sarà pertanto osservare gli sviluppi della risposta militare romana sul Reno, interamente scandita dal dualismo (presunto o reale?) Tiberio-Germanico

Gapped Two-Body Hamiltonian for continuous-variable quantum computation

We introduce a family of Hamiltonian systems for measurement-based quantum computation with continuous variables. The Hamiltonians (i) are quadratic, and therefore two body, (ii) are of short range, (iii) are frustration-free, and (iv) possess a constant energy gap proportional to the squared inverse of the squeezing. Their ground states are the celebrated Gaussian graph states, which are universal resources for quantum computation in the limit of infinite squeezing. These Hamiltonians constitute the basic ingredient for the adiabatic preparation of graph states and thus open new venues for the physical realization of continuous-variable quantum computing beyond the standard optical approaches. We characterize the correlations in these systems at thermal equilibrium. In particular, we prove that the correlations across any multipartition are contained exactly in its boundary, automatically yielding a correlation area law.Comment: 4 pages, one figure. New version: typos corrected, one reference added. To appear in PR

Should the history of economic thought be included in undergraduate curricula?

RESUMEN: Este artículo discute los puntos de vista de la corriente de pensamiento dominante respecto a la utilidad o inutilidad de la Historia del Pensamiento Económico (en adelante HPE). Estos puntos de vista se basan en un supuesto oculto: una “visión acumulativa” según la cual el punto de llegada provisional de la economía contemporánea debe incorporar todas las contribuciones teóricas anteriores de una forma mejorada. Los críticos del positivismo le permitieron a la filosofía de la ciencia reconocer la existencia de diferentes enfoques, tanto en la economía como en otras ciencias. La conceptualización, reconocida por Schumpeter como la primera etapa en la teorización económica, permite que las diferentes visiones del mundo en las cuales se basan los diversos enfoques, tomen forma y alcancen un mayor reconocimiento. Es aquí donde la HPE juega un papel esencial. En este artículo se toma como ejemplo las diferencias entre los enfoques clásicos y marginalistas de la Economía. De esta forma, la HPE resulta esencial en los Planes de Estudio de Economía tanto a nivel de pregrado como de posgrado. En el primer caso como una ayuda decisiva para una mejor comprensión y evaluación de los teorías/modelos ya formalizados y, en el segundo caso, como una formación en el método filológico de investigación, esencial en la primera etapa de la teorización.ABSTARCT: Mainstream views concerning the uselessness or usefulness of HET are illustrated. These rely on a hidden assumption: a ‘cumulative view’ according to which the provisional point of arrival of contemporary economics incorporates all previous contributions in an improved way. Critiques of positivism led philosophy of science to recognise the existence of different approaches – in economics, as in other sciences. Conceptualisation, recognised by Schumpeter as the first stage in economic theorising, is the stage in which the different visions of the world underlying the different approaches, take shape – and are better recognised. In this, HET plays an essential role. As an illustration, the differences between the classical and marginalist conceptualisations of the economy are illustrated. Thus HET is essential in both undergraduate and graduate economic curricula, as a decisive help towards a better understanding and evaluation of formalised theories/models in the first case, and as an education to the philological method of research, essential in the first stage of theorising, in the case of graduate curricula

Should the History of Economic Thought be Included in Undergraduate Curricula?

Abstract Mainstream views concerning the uselessness or usefulness of HET are illustrated. These rely on a hidden assumption: a 'cumulative view' according to which the provisional point of arrival of contemporary economics incorporates all previous contributions in an improved way. Critiques of positivism led philosophy of science to recognise the existence of different approaches -in economics, as in other sciences. Conceptualisation, recognised by Schumpeter as the first stage in economic theorising, is the stage in which the different visions of the world underlying the different approaches, take shape -and are better recognised. In this, HET plays an essential role. As an illustration, the differences between the classical and marginalist conceptualisations of the economy are illustrated. Thus HET is essential in both undergraduate and graduate economic curricula, as a decisive help towards a better understanding and evaluation of formalised theories/models in the first case, and as an education to the philological method of research, essential in the first stage of theorising, in the case of graduate curricula

Paolo Sylos Labini, 1920-2005

L’objet du texte d’Alessandro Roncaglia est un hommage scientifique détaillé à la mémoire de Paolo Sylos Labini. L’article propose à la fois une biographie et un rappel de l’itinéraire intellectuel de l’économiste italien disparu. La théorie de l’oligopole et des formes de marché de Sylos Labini se trouve évidemment au centre de la réflexion mais bien d’autres domaines sont abordés tels que notamment la politique économique, la dynamique économique, les relations entre emploi, croissance et répartition des revenus, l’économie du développement ou l’histoire de la pensée économique. Ce texte fait apparaître les apports et mérites de l’économiste mais aussi les qualités de l’homme et du citoyen à la fois engagé et lucide.In this article, Alessandro Roncaglia renders a careful and detailed intellectual tribute to the memory of Paolo Sylos Labini. Roncaglia’s contribution provides at once a biographical account and recounts the intellectual trajectory of his Italian colleague. While Sylos Labini’s theory of oligopoly and his market forms obviously take centre stage in these reflections, they also reach much further afield, including political economy, economic dynamics, interrelations between employment, growth and income distribution, development economics and the history of economic thought. This paper highlights, in equal measure, the contributions and achievements of the economist, as well as the qualities of the person and the impartial and engaged citizen Paolo Sylos Labini

Family games: power dymanics between Augustus and Tiberius

Il lungo processo che avrebbe portato Ottaviano alla conquista del potere e alla fondazione del principato è scandito da alcuni momenti chiave e da diversi personaggi che ne accompagnarono l'ascesa. Prima ancora che sul campo di battaglia, il figlio adottivo di Cesare riuscì a primeggiare per la grande capacità di gestire alleanze e rapporti personali, per la grande maestria con la quale riuscì a passare da capo rivoluzionario a rappresentante e membro dell'aristocrazia tradizionale. Non fu un cammino facile e lineare e forse il compito più difficile non fu sbaragliare gli avversari ad Azio, ma conservare un potere che gli fu costantemente contestato. Ancora dopo il 31 a.C., infatti, in più di un'occasione, Augusto fu chiamato a difendere la sua creatura (il principato) e a procedere a modificarne costantemente base di potere e struttura: solamente attraverso questa fondamentale, minuziosa, ma nascosta opera, egli riuscì a porre le basi per una struttura di potere destinata a durare immutata almeno per un secolo. In base a queste premesse, la ricerca è organizzata secondo un duplice criterio cronologico, inserendo -all'interno della cornice rappresentata dagli eventi- una partizione che tenga presente ulteriori cesure e momenti determinanti. Il proposito è quello di sottolineare come all'interno di un regno unitario, caratterizzato dalla permanenza di un unico sovrano, sia possibile intravedere l'alternarsi di situazioni storiche diverse, di rapporti di forze, alleanze e unioni in virtù delle quali si determinino orientamenti differenti nell'ambito tanto della politica interna quanto di quella esterna.The long process that would have ultimately led Ottavian to power, thus founding the principate, is marked by several characters and key moments, all along his path. Even before facing the battlefield, Caesar’s adopted son managed to climb to the top ranks of the state, thanks to his great ability in forging alliances and personal relationships, and to the mastery through which he was able to transform himself from revolutionary leader to member (and a representative one) of the traditional aristocracy. This did not develop through an easy and linear track, and the most difficult task was not – very likely – defeating his opponents at Actium, but rather keeping hold of a power that was being constantly contested. Well after 31 b.C., in more than one occasion, Augustus had to defend his new creation (the principate) and tweak time after time its foundations and structure: it was only through this capital, meticulous, and hidden work that he succeeded in building the basis for an institution that would carry on almost unchanged for about one century, to say the least. On these grounds, the present research is organised following a double chronological criterion, by placing – within the framework of the main events – a partition that takes into account further breaks and critical moments. The purpose is that of highlighting how, within a single reign, determined by the presence of one ruler, it is possible to distinguish the succession of different historical situations, balances of power, alliances and marriages through which various directions were decided, both in domestic and in foreign affairs