Some Fun Parts of Roman Life & Culture

1. Some Fun Parts of Roman Life& Culture Kristen Slattery, M.A. & Sheila E. McGinn, Ph.D.

2. Roman Religion No moral component. No absolute concept of gods. They were expected to provide for the gods with sacrifices. **quid pro quo (something for something) Contract with gods: if you protect me, I will...

3. Pan-theon • Jupiter (Zeus): everything, lightning and heavens • Juno (Hera): marriage and childbirth • Minerva (Athena): wisdom and warfare • Mars (Ares): war • Venus (Aphrodite): love • Ceres (Demeter): grain, fruits of the earth • Proserpina (Persephone): fertility, seasons • Neptune (Poseidon): sea, waters • Mercury (Hermes): messenger of gods, travelers • Apollo (Apollo): sun, music, the arts • Diana (Artemis): hunt • Vesta (Hestia): home and hearth • Vulcan (Hephaestus): forge and fire, crafts • Hercules (Heracles): strength, drink, wrestlers

4. Juno Minerva

5. TempleofVesta

6. Vulcan Mercury

7. Roman Religion (cont.) • No canon, things passed by word of mouth • Festivals, temples, sacrifices • Communication with the gods done thru: • Oracles (at shrines to specific gods where something interpreted the future) • Augurs (folks who knew what the gods are thinking from the flights of birds) • Haruspices (folks who examined the entrails of sacrificed animals)

8. Mithras / Mithraism

9. The Mithraeum

10. Roman Virtues

11. The Roman Family • Familia included extended family, slaves, and freedmen • paterfamilias= father of the family (oldest man); he has manus (literally, “hand”; figuratively stands for power) • Rights of the paterfamilias: • Right of life and death over his children • Right to punish or kill slaves • Owns all property within the family • Parricide (murder of parents) was seen as very bad, as a violation against the state and gods.

12. The Roman Family: Marriage • Typically wife is young (13–15 years old); husband is older (35 years old) • Requirements for a legal marriage (i.e., a marriage that produces legitimateheirs with the legal right of inheritance): • Both parents have the “right of marriage” • Non-consanguinity (relationship must not be incestuous) • Marital age (i.e., both must have reached puberty)

13. The Roman Family: Marriage Three types of marriage: • Concubinage • Man and woman are of unequal social rank • A form of marriage in manu • In manu • If a man lives with a woman for a year, then they are married and she goes into his manus, his possession • Marriage ceremony where bride leaves her family and is transferred to the family of her husband; she takes dowry, and husband pays “bride price” to her paterfamilias • Sine manus (woman is sui iuris) • Woman stays in her own family and does not become the property of her husband • Must live apart three nights/year to maintain this status

14. A Day at the Games(in an amphitheater) Morning: VENATIO (hunt) animal hunts animal fights animal tricks **exotic animals from around the empire; levels of symbolism Noon: PUBLIC EXECUTIONS criminals killed by beasts, fire, the cross, etc **later included Christians Afternoon/evening: GLADIATOR FIGHTS number and quality of pairs depends on what the munerarius (sponsor of the games) can afford

15. Games Ad Come see THE spectacle at Capua on April 22. Quatruus to die by the flames he used to destroy the great temple in Alba Fucens. There will be a venatio with deer, zebras, gazelles, boars, bears, and others going against mighty hunters and each other. Six pairs of gladiators, including a femaleprovocateur! Free beast-ka-bobs and beer for all in attendance!

16. Gladiators • Ludus: gladiatorial training school, lanista is one who owns/runs a school (accurate in Gladiator) • There was no such thing as just a “gladiator.” There were specific types of gladiators, each with a unique armor and fighting technique. A gladiator could not fight any other gladiator; there were set rules on what types of gladiators could fight each other. • Gladiators had slave status. If a gladiator fought well, he could eventually earn his freedom (again, see Proximo from Gladiator)

17. Gladiatorial contests • Each pair fights for about 35 minutes. • Fight ends when one surrenders, or could go to a draw. • Referees make sure they break apart when one surrenders. • Thumbs up vs. thumbs down • Winner receives palm and monetary prize

18. Common Gladiator Match-ups Secutor v. Retiarius

19. Common Gladiator Match-ups Hoplomachus v. Murmillo

20. Common Gladiator Match-ups Provocateur v. Provocateur

21. Common Gladiator Match-ups Murmillo v. Thrax

22. Chariot Racing • Took place in a circus • 12 teams in each race (3 from each faction) • Factions: red, blue, green, white • Gates were spring loaded; race began when munerarius dropped a white napkin, then somebody threw a switch to open the gates. 7 laps to a race; crashes were a regular occurrence. • Charioteers also had slave status.

23. How Romans viewed Christians • Christians’ anti-social behavior was viewed very negatively. • They typically were accused of 3 crimes: • Atheism; misanthropism • Roman religion was a part of life • Christians refused to participate in public sacrifices, therefore, • They were seen as refusing to contribute to the welfare of the state, which meant that • They were viewed as wishing public harm by angering the Gods of Rome • Incest (always calling each other “brother” and “sister”) • Cannibalism (eating body and drinking blood of Christ)

24. Roman Names Praenomen Nomen Cognomen Given name Family name Nickname The Praenomina (~ 18 common for men): Appius, Aulus, Decimus, Gaius, Gnaeus, Lucius, Marcus, Numerius, Publius, Quintus, Servius, Sextus, Tiberius, Titus

25. Aristocratic Roman Names PraenomenNomenCognomen Marcus Tullius Cicero Publius Ovidius Naso Gaius Julius Caesar Titus Flavius Caesar Legal adoption adds another name: Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus Public acclaim may add yet others: Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus Augustus Imperator