Background to The Aeneid

1. Background to The Aeneid

2. Earliest History • Italy originally dominated by: • Etruscans to the north • Greek cities to the south • Ancient Latium=modern day Rome

3. Rise of Rome • Hard-workers • Unified into towns to defend against Etruscans and Greeks • Rome founded in 7th century B.C. • Rise to power fueled by invasion

4. Punic Wars • 1st Punic War: • Lasted for 20 years • Flowering of literature and the arts • For control of Sicily versus Carthagians • 2nd Punic War: • Against Carthage, led by Hannibal • Defense against southern ports • Turning point in Roman policy; use of brutal repression; natives repressed and pillaged • 3rd Punic War: • Against Carthage • Aggressive war for economic dominance of wine/oil industry

5. Civil Wars • 2nd century B.C.-Majority plantation owners • Issues between conservative plantations owners and liberal senatorial aristocrats who thought state was harmed by loss of small farms • Gracchus brothers attempted to reform by • Passing grain law • Allowing more people to vote • Improving army • Julius Caesar elected in 46 B.C. • Rule only lasted two years b/c of assassination by Brutus and Cassius • Mark Antony defeats Brutus/Cassius riegn • Relies on Caesar’s grandnephew Octavius • Mark Antony and Octavius share power until they begin to fight in 32 B.C. • Octavius • Defeats Antony in 30 B.C. • Honorific title “imperator” = “commander in chief” • Begins using name Augustus

6. The Birth of an Empire • Augusts’ reign=flowering of literature and architecture=“Golden Era” • Patron of poets/artists that could reiterate his idea of an “ideal state” • Ruled for 30 years; rocky leadership for 30 years after

7. Roman Religion • Religion played central role in organization of Rome • Leaders of religious ceremonies=King of Sacred Rights • Religion shows major differences from the Greeks • Obsessed with correct ritual • Fate=a command of decree obeyed; versus Greeks idea of “shared” fate • Polytheistic-gods show concern with idea of home, cattle, agriculture, family (with focus on male leadership) • Not hard then to see Roman idea of being “sons” subservient to a patriarchal emperor. • Worshipped sprirts of dead ancestors=“manes” and “lanes”=spirits who watch over fields and paths

8. Greek Influences • Adopted Greek Divinities (see handout) • Make sure you know these/they are out for your reference at all times!!!!

9. Roman Literature • Read/conducted foreign policy in Greek until defeat of Carthage in 241 B.C. • Then decided they needed literature of their own • Invented history that associated themselves with Troy • Sought to find in great men’s lives the causes of major events • Horace and Virgil were sponsored by the government (Augustus!) to promote the “glory of the state” • ***Think about the implications of this!!!!**** • Romans were masterful imitators/adapters rather than original thinkers

10. Virgil • Born onto family farm-created a shy man who was sensitive to nature/aware of beauty and wisdom of natural world • Felt political effects: • Caesar -motivated him to travel for studies • Mark Antony-confiscated family farm; retreated to Naples to study Greek philosophy of Epicureanism • Octavius gives Virgil land back after recognizing poetic genius (could there be ulterior motives here?)

11. The Aeneid • The Aeneids purpose was to provide a national epic that was specifically Roman • Why? Think about the purposes of storytelling • Explain Rome’s founding • Legitimize Augustus’ rule (divined) • Virgil spent 11 years working on it-wanted it burned before he died because it wasn’t “good enough” to be published; Augustus overturned this wish in Virgil’s will • Inspiration: • First half=Homer’s The Odyssey • Second half=Homer’s The Illiad • “Arms and the man I sing” shows us a distinct focus on conflict one feels between the hero’s duty (to state) versus his own personal desires • Could Virgil have felt this? • Have characteristics of Epic Poem: • Start in medias res • Hero is of national significance • Begins by appealing to the Muse