ROME AND THE GREEKS

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ROME AND THE GREEKS
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ROMAN VIRTUES ROME vs GREEKS RITES OF
PASSAGE
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THREE EPIC ROMAN VIRTUES VIRTUS manly valor
earned on the field of battle FIDES
trustworthiness earned honoring agreements and
supporting friends clients PIETAS
devotion earned by showing respect to gods and
parents
Anchises
pious Aeneas
Ascanius (or Iulus)
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THREE EPIC ROMAN VIRTUES VIRTUS FIDES
PIETAS together these provide Roman nobles with
the auctoritas (social standing) that
legitimized their leadership
Anchises
pious Aeneas
Ascanius (or Iulus)
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TARENTUM
NEAPOLIS
Lucanians
RHEGIUM
ca.300 BCE
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ROME AND GREECE Philip II and Alexander III the
Great of Macedon, 359-323 BCE Alexander I
Molossus (uncle) protecting Tarentum vs.
Lucanians, 334 BCE
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ROME AND GREECE
Alexander III the Greats Hellenistic Successors,
post-323 BCE Pyrrhus of Epirus protecting
Tarentum vs. Romans, 280-275 BCE first contact
with Macedonian phalanx war elephants
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ROME AND GREECE
Alexander III the Greats Hellenistic Successors,
post-323 BCE Pyrrhus of Epirus protecting
Tarentum vs. Romans, 280-275 BCE first contact
with Macedonian phalanx war elephants
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ROME AND GREECE
EPIRUS AND ITALIOTE GREEKS vs. SAMNITES
Alexander I Molossus, basileus 350-331
invades Italy, 334 vs Lucanians Neapolis made
friend and ally of Rome, 327 Pyrrhus of
Epirus, basileus 306-272 Italy, 280-278 (Pyrrhic
victories) Sicily, 278-276 Battle of
Male(Bene)ventum (bad (fair) wind), 276
Taras (Tarentum) made friend and ally of Rome,
270
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TARENTUM
NEAPOLIS
Lucanians
RHEGIUM
ca.300 BCE
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ROME AND GREECE
SYRACUSE AND SICELIOTE GREEKS Timoleon of
Corinth, resettlement 345-337 fights vs.
Carthage Agathocles of Syracuse, strategos
(general) 316-289, acclaimed basileus 305,
fights vs. Carthage Hieron of Syracuse,
basileus 270-215 fights vs. Carthage
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Mediterranean World, ca.270 BCE
CELTS/ GAULS
GREEKS
IBERIANS
MACEDONIAN KINGDOMS
G R E E K S
ETRU
ROME
PHOENICIANS
.
GREEKS
.
.
CARTHAGE
NUMIDIANS
SYRACUSE
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MAMERTINES
ca.265 BCE
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ROMAN IMPERIALISM extension of imperium
treaties of friendship entangle Rome in
affairs of border states
CARTHAGE
MAMERTINES (devotees of Mamer Mars) Campanian
mercenaries of Syracuse, seize Rhegium and
Messana enemies in Rhegium, 265 allies
at Messana, 264
MAMERTINES
MESSANA
RHEGIUM
SYRACUSE
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HELLENIZATION OF ROME LITERATURE NEW COMEDY
T. Macchius Plautus, ca. 185 BCE HELLENISTIC
HISTORY Timaeus of Taorminum, 4th/3rd BCE
sensationalist Q. Fabius Pictor, ca.200
BCE Polybius of Megalopolis, 2nd BCE
specialist RHETORIC Greek professors of
forensic oratory, 2nd BCE PHILOSOPHY Greek
professors, 2nd BCE
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AGE CATEGORIES
DEMOGRAPHY
1-30 yrs 60 30-45 30 45 10
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LIFE COURSE
bulla
CHILDHOOD
dies lustricus day of naming (for boys)
purification, sacrifice, feasting drive away
the malevolent deity Silvanus in a nocturnal
cermony during which three men would strike the
thresholdone with a hatchet, one with a pestel,
one with a broomthus invoking other deities to
protect the neonate
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LIFE COURSE
COMING OF AGE
education Greek and Latin m. estate
management f. household management
give up purple bordered toga praetexta and bulla
enrolled in a tribe take up white toga of
manhood (virilis)
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LIFE COURSE
BETROTHAL
App. Claudius Crassus (decemvir, ca.50 yrs)
lusted for a plebian girl (ca.14 yrs) and was
intent on possessing her. Her father, L.
Verginius (ca.40 yrs), was a centurion of high
rank in the camp at Algidus, a man of exemplary
character at home and in the field. His wife had
been imbued with his high principles and his
children were being trained in them. He had
betrothed his daughter to L. Icilius, a former
tribune (ca.35 yrs)
Livy III.44
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LIFE COURSE
MARRIAGE
Young boy, release the little girls Small
smooth arm. Let her now approach her husbands
bed
Catullus 61
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LIFE COURSE
HOUSEHOLD
married man (ca.30), with father living (ca.55,
pater familias), grandfather unlikely
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LIFE COURSE
DEATH
They place the likeness of the deceased in the
most conspicuous spot in his house, surmounted by
a wooden canopy or shrine. This likeness consists
of a mask made to represent the deceased with
extraordinary fidelity both in shape and color.
These likenesses they display at public
sacrifices adorned with much care. And when any
illustrious member of the family dies, they carry
these masks to the funeral. Polybius VI.53