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5/4/12 “Sword & Sandal” Pictures • Quo Vadis (1951) • Ben Hur (1959) • Spartacus (1960) – Not the TV series! • Gladiator (2000) The Draw of “toga” or “sword & sandal” epics: • Both anN-‐eliNst and eliNst – (root for the honorable, low class rebels vs. aristocraNc classical culture BUT Classical se_ng gives the play ‘class’.) • Rome is “good to think with”: – Different culture but sNll basis of Western civ. with key similariNes to us Flexibility of US relaNonship to Rome • Roman Republic started as model for US • But in 50’s and 60’s Roman Empire is focus – And it is an anN-‐type, not a model • Imperial (negaNvely portrayed) Romans get foreign accents • Rebels, slaves, and ChrisNans have American accents • Roman Empire = Europe: what we fear US might become but don’t want it to be? Quo Vadis, 1951: • Us (ChrisNans) vs. Them (Romans): iconographic associaNon of Nero with fascism • Highlights ambivalence towards consumerism – Nero horrifying anN-‐type to American ideal, BUT – Is there posiNve associaNon b/twn Nero and the spectacle of the film itself? Spartacus, 1960 (dir. Stanley Kubrick) • novelist & screenwriter had been blacklisted as communists – “I am Spartacus” refers to anN-‐Communist trials of 1950’s • Again, Imperial Rome is anN-‐type, but palpable fear that US is at risk for becoming un-‐American now, too. 1 5/4/12 Our Goals • Historical narraNve of Roman Republic, its imperial expansion, and the civil wars that ended the Republic and began the Empire. • But also: Two Related QuesNons 1) How and why did Rome grow so swigly to dominate the enNre Mediterranean? 2) Consequences (and problems) of this expansion for Rome? Periods of Roman History • 1) Monarchy 753-‐509 – 7 kings, from Romulus to Tarquin. – Myth and history • 2) Republic 509-‐31 BC – Early Rep. 509-‐264: Struggles and source problems – Middle Rep. 264-‐133: huge expansion – Late Rep. 133-‐31: more expansion but internal crisis = civil war • 3) Principate 31-‐… – Augustus (63BCE-‐14CE), the first ciNzen = princeps 1) How and why did Rome grow so swiftly to dominate the entire Mediterranean? • Roman character molded by agricultural roots: – powerful family unit: power of father and mos maiorum – ciNzen army – discipline and obedience are highest ideals 2) Consequences (and problems) of this expansion for Rome? Why did Republic fall? • Roman society torn apart by empire it conquered – influx of wealth and slaves: growth of la.fundia – farmer-‐soldier root of R soc. Uprooted – growth of Roman mob – agrarian reform & grain dole: populares vs op.mates • A_tude toward war – Demand total surrender from opponents – on other hand, great assimilator of conquered, generous to defeated, unique in allowing freed slaves ciNzenship • Checks and balances of consNtuNon • RESILIENCE: HYDRA – unique combinaNon of discipline, organizaNon, aggression, assimilaNon, and luck • • • • • Anger of exploited Italian allies New business class More compeNNon (fueled by personal ambiNon) ProrogaNon and breaches of consNtuNon Conquest of Rome by Greek culture: focus on individual 2 5/4/12 Civil Strife: Overview Augustus’ Achievement: two themes -‐ Struggle of the Orders (5th cent. BC) -‐ Death of Tiberius Gracchus (133 BC) -‐ Dictatorship of Sulla and ProscripNons (82-‐80 BC) -‐ Pompey vs. Julius Caesar (49-‐45 BC) -‐ Octavian vs. Antony (late 30s BC) Sulla Pompey Julius Caesar Octavian 1) Use past to jusNfy future & create myth of Romanness – great public monuments refurbished or built – Poetry and propaganda – Aug. presented as culminaNon of all Roman history 2) CreaNon of consensus -‐-‐ diff. b/twn having power and laying claim to it openly -‐-‐ brought everybody into myth he created -‐-‐ created one-‐man rule with “consent of all” QuesNon to think about: • Rome has leg us two vocabularies: – senate, capitol, republic = democracy? (Republic) – prince, emperor, Kaiser/ Tsar = autocracy? (Empire) • Neither set of words had same meaning at Rome – R. always authoritarian state and Aug. not seen as tyrant – Did Augustus destroy liberty? Or was only liberty lost that of the oligarchy to abuse power? • So the quesNon is: which was beter at Rome, the chaos of free Republic or the stability of monarchy? 3
