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Transcript
Notes on: The Modern Times and the Living Past One-minute immersion exercise in Ancient History and its Hollywood version By Jose Sison Luzadas Delray Beach Fl Topic: NEGOTIATING AT BASEMENT BARGAIN PRICE “The Crassus Approach” Marcus Licinius Crassus from The Louvre, Paris Source: Internet Sensitive people feel easily embarrassed when complimented with the word “crass”, a name whether it is used as noun or adjective refers to a person or persons having rude, crude stupid and unrefined manners or anyone lacking in discrimination and sensibility. Crass is short for CRASSUS, a wealthy patrician who like Brutus, lent his name in the dictionary. He is said to be the richest man in Rome during the time when Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great were just political rivals. Crassus amassed wealth and influence when he sided with Dictator Sulla whose reign is notoriously involved by purging his enemies and confiscating their properties as well. Using his good connection to take advantage over his rivals, Crassus embarked on buying all these confiscated properties at bargain prices as he enjoyed monopoly for their resale value. A shrewd real estate guy, Crassus is ahead of his time. He has easy access whenever and wherever there is big fire in Rome. He has at his disposal a brigade of 500 slaves skilled in building construction and putting out fire. It was said that many of the fires were of suspicious origins and were attributed to Crassus. Of what we know today in business jargon as FLIP-FLOP in market real estate manipulation we can say that Crassus was an old pro. But this Roman patrician wanted more than amassing wealth. Known for having financed the rise of Julius Caesar to leadership, he did not hide his ambition to achieve same military honors and top posts in government. He envied the adulation given by the Roman people to his contemporaries, Cicero, Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. However, with his money he managed to get elected as member in the First Triumvirate and got a plump post as governor of Syria which promised him more wealth. When the Senate feared that Rome’s internal safety is threatened by the slave rebellion led by Thracian gladiator, Spartacus, Crassus volunteered to equip, train and led an army to quash the revolt. He won which earned him a measure of respect as military commander. He did not show any mercy to the six thousand slaves captured alive. His order is to crucify and left them hanging dotting the Appian Way as lesson to anyone for defying Rome in the future. However, his obsession to achieve accolades at par with Pompey the Great and Caesar betrayed him in the end. Crassus is no genius like his co-triumvirs in the science of military strategy and tactics that in his attempt to conquer Parthia was a total disaster. It was reported that in the battle where Crassus was killed, his enemies poured molten gold in his severed head and mouth as punishment for insatiable greed. THANK YOU FOR READING. HERE NOW IS THE ENTERTAINMENT PART What Hollywood wants us to believe? Spartacus, the title of the movie and also the name of the leading character has nothing to do with Sparta, the Greek city-state and rival of Athens. Hollywood did a “spartacular” job with its movie production starring a popular Hollywood actor known for his cleft-chin. Since the release of the movie in 1960, Kirk Douglas in the title role often identified privately as Spartacus’ alter ego. Gladiator Spartacus is a Thracian native purchased by a Roman slave merchant Biatrus who in turn enrolled him in his gladiatorial school in Capua where he met and fell in love to a lovely slave girl from Britain named Varinia. He led a slave revolt in decadent Rome and attempts to lead his followers to freedom. After several successful battles against Rome’s elite army, he decided to leave Italy but was outsmarted by the Roman soldiers led by Crassus who bribed the pirates who earlier promised Spartacus ships for his exit. He was trapped and pinned by three Roman Army divisions and there was no way out but to put a good fight to the finish. Remember the familiar scenes of Hollywood movies involving gladiatorial fight, combatants stand facing to address the emperors speaking in unison: "Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant" Heil Caesar, we salute you. We are ready to die to entertain you! Not in “Spartacus” the movie. The movie instead compensates one amazing incident that illustrates a defining moment in loyalty, camaraderie and ‘spirit de corps’ and at the same time created one notable quotable quote. When Spartacus and his army of gladiators and slaves were routed they were taken prisoners by Crassus who is obsessed of meeting in person their leader. He promised to offer them freedom if they will bring their leader or else will face the worst treatment as prisoners. When Spartacus was about to surrender himself, a move in an attempt to save his men from any worse threat, he heard one captive with a booming voice “I am Spartacus!” Another man did the same as he shouted “I am Spartacus!” Not far another man shouted, “I am Spartacus!” Another man at the back shouted “I am Spartacus!” Still a man little bit farther shouted “I am Spartacus!” more and more taking turns just to shout “I am Spartacus!” until everyone was heard that he is Spartacus. Gone temporarily insane of what he saw and heard, Crassus ordered all the survivors including Spartacus to march and to be crucified one by one to dot the Appian Way in the direction toward Rome If we recall our ancient history class, Via Appia or Appian Way is where “ALL ROADS LED TO ROME” the equivalent of today’s GPS to avoid getting lost entering “Roma Aeterna” or ‘Eternal City’. Crassus wanted to stage the last gladiatorial fight. He chose Spartacus and another veteran, Antoninus where the victor will be crucified in the end. Antoninus was defeated. Spartacus was left dangling in the cross. In the closing minutes of the movie, we see Varinia arrived with the child in her arms both were freed and allowed to show up and see Spartacus for one last look who is now hovering between life and death. Spartacus was happy to die having had a final glimpse at his son whom he pinned his hope to continue and finish the struggle he started to free Rome. The End THANKS FOR READING. HERE NOW IS THE ENTERTAINMENT PART Courtesy of Hollywood . Hollywood did a “spartacular” job in 1960 of its movie production, “Spartacus” with popular Hollywood known for his cleft-chin. Since the release of the movie, Kirk Douglas in the title role was stuck as Spartacus’ alter ego in the role of a gladiator who led a slave revolt in decadent Rome and attempts to lead his followers to freedom but was crashed by Crassus in the end. Spartacus has nothing to do with Sparta, a Greek city-state, Athens rival. Spartacus is a Thracian native purchased by a Roman slave merchant Biatrus who in turn enrolled him in a gladiatorial school in Capua where he met and fell in love to a lovely slave girl from Britain named Varinia Remember the familiar Hollywood movie scenes that before the gladiators begin a “do or die” extravaganza of performance, they stand facing to address the emperor in a choral f salutation: "Ave Caesar, morituri te salutant" Heil Caesar, we who are about to die salute you! Not in “Spartacus” the movie, the gladiators are slaves and are defiant like Spartacus against Rome. Instead the movie compensates one significant incident that illustrates a defining moment in loyalty, camaraderie and ‘spirit de corp’. "I am Spartacus" One of the most famous quotes in Spartacus the Movie is the line "I am Spartacus". This occurs when Crassus promises that the captured slaves will be given their lives if they identify their slave leader, Spartacus. Spartacus is just about to rise when he hears another voice proclaim "I am Spartacus" then another voice shouts "I am Spartacus" then another screams shouts "I am Spartacus" and then another until hundreds of voices are all shouting "I am Spartacus". Noone will betray their leader and as a result 6000 captured slaves are crucified along the Appian Way. Shortly after, Spartacus escapes with his companions and becomes leader of an army of slaves. He fights and wins his first battle against a Roman army led by Glabrus and trains his men in the mountains of Italy, where Varinia and Antoninus (Tony Curtis), Crassus servant, later join them. After two years of raiding and beating smaller Roman armies, Spartacus decides to leave Italy and hires a pirate, Tigranes (Herbert Lom), to supply him with ships. Meanwhile in Rome, with unrest and discord is growing due to the slave rebellion and pressure on the armies to do something, Crassus is waiting for an occasion to seize power. Gracchus (Charles Laughton), the leader of the Plebeians, and his ally, Julius Caesar (John Gavin), oppose him. Arriving with his army on the coast, Spartacus discovers that the pirates, bribed by Rome, will not give him any ships. Unable to withdraw, Spartacus and his army discover that they are surrounded by three Roman armies led by Crassus. In the final battle, the slaves, after a fierce struggle, are routed, and slaughtered by the thousands. The few thousand survivors, who include Antoninus and Spartacus, are taken to Rome to be crucified. Crassus then finds Varinia with her newborn baby on the battlefield and befriends her. He fails in an attempt to seduce her and, out of malice, orders that Spartacus and Antoninus are to engage in a fight to the death and the survivor will be crucified. After a long and brutal sword fight, Antoninus is defeated, and Spartacus suffers a slow death on the cross with his slave companions beside him. But before Spartacus dies, Varinia, freed through the influence of Gracchus, shows him their son, a free Roman citizen. The End