Guerra e partnership. Una riflessione sull'ambivalenza di "hostis"

Alice Accardi e Mirna Cola

Abstract:

The argument developed in this contribution begins from a reflection on the complex network of meanings involving the Latin word hostis, a word tinged with ideas both of 'parity' and of 'otherness' and which paints a picture of relationships based on partnership and struggle. First, we analyse the ambivalence of the term hostis in Roman culture and its relation with the notion of bellum iustum, and then compare the resulting notion of 'cultural proximity' with the one that emerges from historical and anthropological works, such as those about the Tupinamba or Nuer. The 'parity' of the enemy in terms of specific shared social values is related to the construction of that enemy's identity. In particular, we focus on the dichotomy between processes that attribute inferior status to the enemy and those that recognize the enemy’s status as peer.