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Classical Studies 202 Ancient Roman Society Lecture # 8

Classical Studies 202 Ancient Roman Society Lecture # 8. -THE "FIVE GOOD EMPERORS"- -THE SEVERAN DYNASTY- -MEDICINE- -BREAK- -TECHNOLOGY- -OCCUPATIONS- -COMMUNICATIONS-. Nerva (96-98) 96 AD Praetorian Guard murder Domitian Senate nominates him, quickly, as emperor to avoid civil war

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Classical Studies 202 Ancient Roman Society Lecture # 8

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  1. Classical Studies 202Ancient Roman SocietyLecture # 8 -THE "FIVE GOOD EMPERORS"- -THE SEVERAN DYNASTY- -MEDICINE- -BREAK- -TECHNOLOGY- -OCCUPATIONS- -COMMUNICATIONS-

  2. Nerva (96-98) 96 AD Praetorian Guard murder Domitian Senate nominates him, quickly, as emperor to avoid civil war elderly, childless, ideal senator Prestigious & old, but no leader THE "FIVE GOOD EMPERORS" (96-192AD)

  3. Nerva (96-98) • suspected by army (not a military man) • reduces taxes, recalls exiles, gives land to poor • alimenta (scheme to help farmers & needy children) • 97 AD adopts Trajan (respected & popular general) as son and successor • dies of old age after 16 months(stroke after shouting at an officer?)

  4. Experienced general of the Rhine & Danube from Spain (first provincial emperor) Put fiscal restraints onto overspending cities & provinces Trajan (98-117 AD)

  5. Trajan (98-117 AD) • expanded empire to its greatest extent • invasion of Dacia (across the Danube) • Trajan's Column (depicts Dacian war); Dacian gold, slaves -gives 75 denarii to each citizen of Rome from spoils (congiaria) • annexes Arabia • conquers Parthians (weak) = 3 new provinces • eastern war drains other frontiers • massive revolts as a result of financial strains of war • Dies on way home from Parthia

  6. Another Spaniard Curly hair and beard becomes fashionable -"adopted" by Trajan (forged will?) An excellent emperor Brings peace, prosperity & order Ruled with a personal, “hands on” style Hadrian (117-138)

  7. Hadrian (117-138) • abandons new provinces (except Dacia which was Romanized) to shorten the frontier • visits provinces and frontiers: Hadrian's Wall (practical, but defensive policy) • 2nd Jewish War(132-135) destroys remain of the Old Temple of Solomon at Jerusalem -replaced by a Temple of Jupiter (blasphemy?) -begins Diaspora (Jews banned from Jerusalem) • expands Athens • rebuilds treasury • excuse $900 million in back taxes • $ to poor and to poor Senators

  8. Hadrian (117-138) • 130 AD - boyfriend Antinuus commits suicide to ensure safety of Hadrian(divine honours and city of Antinuopolis founded) • top civil service posts go to equites • bad relations with Senate (4 senators executed; jealous of equites) • Empire run by Emperor and Advisors -Senate becomes more of a “town Council” • adopts Antoninus; Antoninus adopts M. Aurelius and L. Verus (secure line of succession) • in old age developed a nosebleed for two years, and suffered a slow, lingering death from water accumulation in the body -asked slaves to kill him, wouldn't

  9. insists on Hadrian's deification excellent administrator and model of behaviour maintains status quo legal reforms teachers to be paid by cities university at Athens Antonine Wall (north of Hadrian's): shorter but less secure Antoninus Pius (138-161)

  10. reluctant emperor -a good man at a bad time insists that his "brother" Lucius Verus be co-emperor (161-169) -useless emperor -dies of apoplexy -Empire needs at least 2 men to run it Stoic philosopher-statesman, not soldier Marcus Aurelius (161-180)

  11. Marcus Aurelius (161-180) • German tribes swarm across Danube and threaten Italy -"barbarians" begin to breach the Roman frontiers • long wars • Plague ravages Italy -beginning of the long “decline & fall of Rome” • suffered great chest and stomach pains -became a "junkie" on opium -died in sleep (or murdered?)

  12. son of Aurelius lacked ability (worste ruler since Nero) addiction to pleasure (emperor as Hercules/god) has Senate deify him while still alive! Commodus (180-192)

  13. Commodus (180-192) • abandons (a) invasion across Danube(buys off barbarians!), (b) Antonine Wall • appoints his favourites to high positions • praetorian prefect rules so he can play • appeared as a gladiator 735 times (opponents are animals or only allowed blunt wooden swords!) • alimenta suspended • reign of terror (many plots and purges) • assassinated (poison plus straggled by wrestling partner/lover • memory damned • civil war results

  14. Helvius Pertinax (193 AD): -assassinated after 87 days Didius Julianus (193 AD): (bust at left) -Praetorian Guard auctions off the throne -does not pay up and is murdered after a few months by the Praetorian Guard Short-lived Emperors that follow….

  15. Septimius Severus (193-211) a North African married into a Syrian royal family -first Black/Berber Emperor -spoke Latin with a Punic accent! -shows cosmopolitan nature of the Roman Empire THE SEVERAN DYNASTY (193-235 AD)

  16. Septimius Severus (193-211) • declared Caesar by the Danube legions -replaces Praetorian Guard with his own troops • -extends power of Equestrians (run legions, provinces) • -alimenta restored • -free medical care • -soldiers allowed to marry • devaluation of coinage • -recaptures Parthian provinces • Gains some peace & prosperity • Dies in York, England

  17. son of Severus & a bad ruler murders his brother Geta to gain power raises army pay increased taxes citizenship to all except slaves (no incentive to join army!) took part of Alexander the Great's tomb from Alexandria (last mention of the tomb) assassinated during war with Parthians Caracalla (211-217)

  18. Praetorian Prefect of Caracalla a Moor (North African) murdered Macrinus (217-218)

  19. chosen by Syrian legions -claimed to be the bastard son of Caracalla -15 years old religious fanatic of the Eastern (sun) cult of Heliagabalus Brings big black rock of cult to Rome Elagabalus (218-222)

  20. Elagabalus (218-222) • imposes his religion on Rome & replaces Roman gods with the sun cult • Mom, Julia, & grandmother, Julia, ruled for him • travelled with a harem of "300 cute young boys and 300 cute young girls" • bloody, cruel, decadent & perverted -wore pearls & lots of make-up in public • murdered by Praetorians while hiding in a chest/privy

  21. cousin of Elagabalus aged 13 a "sissy" dominated by grandmother and mother (Julia Mamaea), who provided good, stable rule Julia courts Senate(Alexander just a puppet) Alexander Severus (222-235)

  22. Alexander Severus (222-235) • Praetorian Prefect becomes senator (Ulpian) • Alexander tries to rule on his own, but is a poor warrior & ruler -defeats Persians -but bribes Germans to withdraw (insult to army, who wanted the money!) • army revolts, lead by Maximus the Thracian • “It’s Maximus or me!” • Alexander and Julia murdered by army -Alexander cries to mom that its all her fault!

  23. M E D I C I N E • real medicine developed in Greek world -little improvement until the 17th century • Greek doctors came to Rome as slaves, so medicine = servile • fees paid by patient (no OHIP) • medical schools (Alexandria etc.) optional; apprenticeship usual • Hippocratic corpus, oath (Hippocrates, 5th c. BC) • Celsus (1st c. AD): Latin medical text; reliance on drugs • Galen (2nd c. AD): influence extends beyond Roman period

  24. M E D I C I N E • no licensing, or malpractice, therefore some physicians deadly • “Until recently, Diaulus was a doctor; Now he is an undertaker. He is still doing as an undertaker, What he used to do as a doctor.” -Martial. Epigrams 1.47

  25. M E D I C I N ECauses & Cures • epidemics, e.g. kissing disease (Tiberius), plague (160's-70's) • ignorance of hygiene -toilet in kitchen or on shared bench -live in close quarters -ghettos/crowded insulae -no washing of hands -mice & fleas everywhere • home remedies: Cato on cabbage (cure-all) and magic spells (ie chanting for a dislocated shoulder)

  26. Cure for Jaundice Drink the ashes of a deer’s antlers and blood of an ass diluted with wine Or Drink the first manure excreted by a foal after birth (get the bean-sized ones!), diluted with wine Cure guaranteed in 3 days

  27. M E D I C I N ECauses & Cures • treatments: diet, rest, blood-letting, enemas, ointments • pharmacy: ointments in cakes with stamped directions (many herbal remedies) -no antibiotics, no anaesthetic (mostly use strong, warm wine) • temple of Aesculapius (island in Tiber): -dream-cures • Rome builds hospitals -work on sanitation & fresh water • spas (mineral/hot springs) - many still in use • alternative = home remedies • surgical tools: lancets, scalpels, probes, forceps, clamps, saws etc. (mostly of steel/iron vs stainless steel)

  28. A mosaic from Pompeii Army surgeons operate on the field Stretcher-bearers paid by the number of wounded they bring to the doctor Battlefield Surgery

  29. Dentistry • Less sugar in diet, so fewer cavities, but worn teeth • Believe toothache caused by worm • Extractions, wiring, filling, bridgework, dentures • Toothpowder: not to fight cavities, but for white teeth, clean mouth • Brush teeth with a finger or chewed stick • Dental patients tied down

  30. T E C H N O L O G Y • "science" = knowledge; e.g. Cato's treatises, Pliny's Natural History • scientific discoveries were made mostly by Greeks, not Romans -Romans a labour intensive people -not push to develop new technology • hydraulic engineering: water moved by siphon, pump, aqueduct (based on Greek designs) • draining of Roman Forum • Agrippa's and Claudius' aqueducts -provide 445 L water/person/day to Rome • Cloaca Maxima (main sewer of Rome) -paid 25 denarii/day + meals vs a teacher’s 50 denarii/student/month

  31. T E C H N O L O G Y • metallurgy: coins, statues, tools etc. (stamped, cast or forged) • mines use horizontal tunnels; ore flushed and filtered • smelting furnaces and pottery kilns • machines: -lever, pulley, siphon -discussion in Vitruvius (10 volumes on engineering & architecture) -water-lifting screws, treadmills, cranes, paddlewheels • catapults: powered by sinew wound onto windlass

  32. T E C H N O L O G Y • ships: powered by sail (useless if wind wrong) and oars • animal power, e.g. to move heavy loads • milling: -push mill -donkey mill -hand mill • Romans did not have windmill, rubber, crank, big factories • labour saving devices unsuccessful, e.g. Gallic reaper

  33. OCCUPATIONS • (sources: Cicero, Dio of Prusa, Plutarch, Horace, Martial, Lucian, St. Matthew; tombstones) • urban plebs: idle rabble, or work-force? -most hired as day labourers (menial work) -Forum as labour pool; pay 1 denarius per day -keep poor busy & happy • stigma against undignified jobs (manual work for wages; factories; tax collection; retailing; food services, perfume, entertaining, fish sellers, butchers, cooks, poultry raisers, fishermen, salesmen, peddlers & porters) • regular wages are suitable only for slaves

  34. OCCUPATIONS • respectable workers are paid for the item produced or the service performed • good jobs: art, medicine, architecture, teaching, FARMING • other factors in finding a job: training, money, talent, inclination -architecture & law are expensive fields to study • taberna (shop): often a family operation -usually located at front of house -family trade

  35. OCCUPATIONS • small factories: -collegia (workers' associations, social clubs) -apprenticeships in some trades (ie weaving & sculpting) -collegia sometimes involved in politics, e.g. firemen -roots of the Medieval GuilD system • tombstones name professions or show them in relief • 200+ different jobs attested, largely at Rome (some jobs regional) -ie local wines, pottery styles, fishermen & shepherds

  36. OCCUPATIONS • women: -work mostly in service trades (catering, nursing, prostitution, shepherd comfort girl!) -tabernae (barmaid, cook “hostess”) -"feminine" crafts (weaving, laundry, crafts) -often learned their trade at a young age -Epitaphs for Viccentia, a 9 year old gold worker, and Pieris, a 9 year old hair dresser

  37. COMMUNICATIONS • Rome builds 53,000 miles of roads • Appian Way (road from Rome to Capua) -first major military highway built in 312 BC -132 miles long -designed for speed • Most roads built by Marius’ Mules • road construction techniques • 1 metre trench • larger stones under smaller stones & cement • Topped with gravel, flint & slabs • milestones

  38. COMMUNICATIONS • curatores viarum (local officials in charge of roads) -look after their own section of road • cursus publicus (Imperial postal system) • mansiones (inns run by the state) • diploma (permit to use Imperial Post) • private inns and their facilities • cisium (two-wheeled cart)

  39. COMMUNICATIONS • water transport: -much cheaper and faster than road • Alexandria (chief port of Egypt) -grain freighters -annona (grain supply) -amphoras (clay shipping containers) • shipping hazards • Storm • Pirates • Shipwreck • Insurance fraud • lighthouses

  40. COMMUNICATIONS • Ostia (seaport of Rome, at mouth of Tiber) • Rhine, Rhône (main rivers of Gaul) • imports and exports • terra sigillata (red-gloss pottery) • 2.5% tax on goods crossing provincial borders -all get a cut of profits -protect local industries • precious metals leave the empire to pay for oriental goods -much money goes out, but less comes in as Roman expansion stops -creates inflation & stalled economy

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