Is it true that the ancient Romans ate a lot and fought: Myths imposed by cinema

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Hollywood (and not only) films have firmly fixed in the minds of the average person a certain collective image about Ancient Rome and the people living in that era. Half-naked gladiators with perfect torsos and a tan, an idle lifestyle and battles, a slave system and endless war - this is perhaps only a small part of what is rooted in the minds of contemporaries as historical data about Ancient Rome. Which of this is true and which is not?

1. Togi are not the only clothes

In any film about Ancient Rome, almost all the actors (of course, beauties who are pumped up) wear togas. Yes, on the one hand, it’s easier for the filmmakers and the viewer to immediately understand that we are talking about Ancient Rome, and not about something else. In general, colorful, what you need for a film. But if you look from the practical side, then the Romans themselves were apparently not at all delighted with such impractical clothes, besides, there were a huge number of them. Take, for example, the fact that it was by clothing, including that, that it was possible to determine the social status of a person. Including color, density of material and other details.

Togas were worn only by men and in honor of some occasion, in the early period they were simple, then they became more diverse. Only the emperor could wear the purple toga. In ordinary life, the ancient Romans wore loose shirts like tunics. Linen or woolen, depending on the season. And the soldiers did have leather jackets. By the end of Roman rule, trousers were in demand, although at first it was believed that these were clothes for lower words, but practicality took up.

2. Harsh sports entertainment

Gladiator fights, as a very harsh entertainment for some and a way to earn money for others, is widely represented in films and other sources telling about Ancient Rome. But slaves did not always enter the arena of battle. Yes, most of them were plebeians: criminals and poor people, who thus wanted to get rich or become famous. There were also women among them.

Gladiator fights were not always fatal, most often the case ended in injury. This sport was not at all the most popular in Rome, gambling spectators adored chariot races. The Colosseum could accommodate 50,000 people, and a special circus for racing 250,000. If slaves entered the arena of the Colosseum, then those who drove the chariots had tremendous success and earnings. So, for example, Guy Appuleius, a charioteer from Ancient Rome, is still considered the highest paid athlete, even in terms of modern money.

3. Thumb gestures

Often in the movies, rulers flicker, who decide the outcome of a gladiatorial battle with one movement of their thumb. "Thumb down" meant to lay down arms, to end the battle. Often this was done in order to save the fighter, because in order to become a successful gladiator, they had to train a lot and for a long time and no one would be scattered by fighters, even though they are slaves.

The main requirement for a gladiator was endurance, because most of the fights were precisely a test of endurance. The one who fizzled out earlier or was more wounded and was considered the loser. If the gladiator was mortally wounded, then he was finished off by hitting on the head, as evidenced by the remains found.

4. Hand raised like a Nazi

Here, in general, everything is extremely confusing. It is believed that this greeting - a hand raised up with the palm turned down, was used precisely in Rome and it is the Romans who are referred to as the primary source of the Nazi greeting. But there are no historical documents confirming this fact. In the painting of the French artist Jacques Louis David "The Oath of the Horatii" (1789), this is the form of greeting to the highest rank used. But there is no reason for the fact that this is a recognized form, as now "salute" with a hand to the cap, and not just an artistic fiction that the painter used because "I am an artist, as I see it."

But the myth took root, also thanks to the films, although now it is a Nazi greeting for everyone, and not a Roman salute, even if it really was.

5. What did the ancient Romans look like and how long did they live?

Many scientists have worked on the genome of the Romans, trying to figure out what they really looked like. Considering that they conquered half the world and built an empire, their genome was constantly changing, new blood was poured into it with enviable regularity, and massively. However, there is evidence of some of the Romans, whose contemporaries described their appearance. For example, they write about Sulla that he had light blue eyes, about Augustus, that he had curly red hair and a crooked nose, and he was not tall. Nero had a similar shade of hair, was also short, but he had a thick neck and stomach and very thin legs.

Nevertheless, scientists managed to build a certain genotype that was characteristic of the inhabitants of Ancient Rome: • medium height; • shade of eyes from gray to black; • large nose, with a hump; • skin color from pink to olive; • low and wide forehead; • physique is large; Historians claim that the average life expectancy was 20-30 years. But, more likely, this figure is given by average values. After all, infant mortality and the death of a mother during childbirth were not at all uncommon in those days. However, the Roman, who lived to adulthood, fully lived up to the average modern indicators, and did not die of old age at 30.

6. Vomitoria

Another myth that surrounds the Romans is their passion for noisy feasts. There is no evidence to refute this, but on the other hand, who does not like to celebrate at a laid table, especially when there is a reason? The Persians were defeated, for example, once again.

But, supposedly, the Romans knew a lot about feasts and always ate like the last time that they had special "vomit rooms" attached to their halls. Like, the gentleman drank and overeat, went to vomitoria, brought himself into proper form - and celebrates, eats, drinks on. Comfortable.

The Romans actually had premises with this name, but it was rather a kind of foyer, a veranda where guests went to relax, breathe fresh air. Well, and who knows, it is possible to empty the stomach in this way too.

7. Slaves and plebeians

For modern people, the plebeian is an insult, equating to a lower category. But in ancient Rome, this was the name for the entire population, everyone who was not ranked among the patricians. The plebeians fought for their rights for a long time and when they succeeded, the existing order collapsed.

In ancient Rome, there was a holiday during which slaves and their masters changed places. The holiday of Saturnalia made it possible to demonstrate to both parties that there is nothing eternal in the world, everything is changing. Slaves on this day were fed the best food, and their work was done by the slave owners.

Perhaps it was this holiday that was the reason why the Romans treated slaves not as their thing or property, as it was throughout history, but as a good boss to their subordinates. They were encouraged for good work, they were entitled to bonuses and indulgences. In all films, slaves work on oars on warships, while in reality only free citizens could be involved in war and military service. This did not mean that the slaves were ignored and not taken to war. They could be freed before this, demanding as payment - valor and courage in battle.

The life of a slave was no different from the life of other residents, they also attended events, communicated with each other and led an idle lifestyle. At first, they had to wear special collars with the name of their owner. But this decision was quickly overturned, ostensibly so that the slaves did not know that there were so many of them, because it was not far from a riot.

8. Carthage and salt

Rome destroyed Carthage after a long war, then the victors received more than 50 thousand soldiers into slavery. The myth says that the Romans wanted not only to wipe the city off the face of the earth, but also to make the land barren, then this territory would be truly dead. To do this, they covered a huge area with salt.

Scientists have not found any evidence that the lands of Carthage were "killed" by salt, no extra minerals were found. In addition, the version seems too fabulous, given that in ancient Rome salt was very valuable, and spending it on the destruction of a city that could simply be burned is at least strange.

Salt was used as a preservative and food storage agent and was highly prized. Women used salt, and in the absence of salt, the sweat of gladiators as a means for youth and beauty. Even the sweat of a fighter was considered a powerful aphrodisiac.

9. The largest empire

Contemporaries are often mistaken, believing that the Roman Empire was the largest, since this opinion is always supported by films that demonstrate the greatness and belligerence of the Romans. But it is only on the 28th place in the world, and when the Roman empire was in its prime, just over 10% of the population lived in it. The British and Mongol empires were much larger.

Despite the slave system, the property stratification of the population was much less pronounced than it is now. Any work was adequately paid, no significant gap was allowed. Perhaps this was the Roman greatness?

10. Caligula and his horse

Emperor Caligula was generally a very extraordinary person. Allegedly, he made his sisters mistresses, executed prisoners, throwing them off to be eaten by wild animals, spoke to the moon and made his horse a senator. Well, what if he was suddenly the smartest creature in his environment ?!

He became emperor at the age of 25, and the beginning of his reign was filled with very positive decisions. So, he abolished taxes, some games, announced an amnesty for those prisoners who were imprisoned by the former emperor. But the happiness did not last long, he started having mental problems, as they wrote about him in the sources of those years "brain fever". He killed some of his subordinates, his wife was more fortunate - he simply kicked her out, then decided that he was a god and started a temple for himself.

In fact, he did not appoint a horse as his consul, perhaps he threatened these subordinates, they say, well, even an animal will be more productive in this role. But, of course, he loved his horse.

11. Nero, violin and burning Rome

It is believed that Nero, while Rome was engulfed in a great fire, climbed the high city wall, wept and recited poetry about the fall of Troy. Other historians supplemented this episode, they say, the ruler was dressed in theatrical clothes and played a musical instrument.

Yes, historians studying the personality of Nero argue that his character was, to put it mildly, not sugar. He was seen in incest (which, in principle, is not uncommon for the Romans), murders, was cruel to animals, aggressive. But he is not so indifferent to his own people as to play the violin during a fire in which his fellow tribesmen perish.

However, it was Shakespeare who wrote that Nero played the lute, looking at the city, engulfed in flames. And then George Daniel turned the lute into a violin, and wrote, they say, let Nero play the violin when they will bury Rome.

According to some reports, Nero set Rome on fire at all, but at that moment he was not at all at the place of government, he was in Antium, the city in which he was born. Hearing that a fire had started in the warehouses where flammable goods were stored, he immediately returned to Rome. Sectarians calling themselves Christians were accused of arson, the guilty were punished and crucified.

The more interesting the topic is for contemporaries, the faster it becomes overgrown with legends, myths and fables. And the filmmakers, who are preoccupied with entertainment, rather than historical fairness and accuracy, contribute a lot to this. The biblical legend about Sodom and Gomorrah, which have long been considered symbols of sin, is also full of myths and conjectures.… Was it really so?