Apuleius 'The Golden Ass' Essay
A Window to the Past
The Golden Ass by Apuleius is more than just a comedy about the life of Lord Lucius, rather it is a window into the daily lives of the people living during the classical era. The Classical era is something we never could fully understand due to the destruction of many manuscripts whether it be to invasion or lack of care. When compared to the following era, the classical era was well ahead in the sense of sanitation and the use of logic, which were lost with the fall of the Roman Empire. The Golden Ass brings a new concept to the lives of people living during the Roman Empire, humanity, which was forgotten in books like the Aeneid that glorified the daily lives of people living in the Classical era.
Lucius’s travels to the markets of towns provide more than just a source for his new master, they give us an important idea on how the economies of local towns worked. During the Classical Era the market or Forum was the busiest part of town with many public functions taking place there. Here you see that markets are places that all the local tradesman and farmers bring their goods, exchange news, and buy slaves. But also you see how these towns were very communal with everyone knowing everyone often everyone coming together when one of their community members are going through hard times. One time is shown on pg. 183 when the travelers are attacked by villagers who perceives them as bandits and thus band together to fend off the supposed bandits only to stop when they find out that they are simply travelers looking for a home. This sense of community was extinguished with the formation of kingdoms that essentially treated the peasants like property that only tried to work the lord’s holdings.
Another central piece to the daily lives of Romans is the use of public baths as a way to both destress and socialize. Romans were relatively sanitary with many construction projects being done to improve the health of its citizens. Buildings such as
The Golden Ass by Apuleius is more than just a comedy about the life of Lord Lucius, rather it is a window into the daily lives of the people living during the classical era. The Classical era is something we never could fully understand due to the destruction of many manuscripts whether it be to invasion or lack of care. When compared to the following era, the classical era was well ahead in the sense of sanitation and the use of logic, which were lost with the fall of the Roman Empire. The Golden Ass brings a new concept to the lives of people living during the Roman Empire, humanity, which was forgotten in books like the Aeneid that glorified the daily lives of people living in the Classical era.
Lucius’s travels to the markets of towns provide more than just a source for his new master, they give us an important idea on how the economies of local towns worked. During the Classical Era the market or Forum was the busiest part of town with many public functions taking place there. Here you see that markets are places that all the local tradesman and farmers bring their goods, exchange news, and buy slaves. But also you see how these towns were very communal with everyone knowing everyone often everyone coming together when one of their community members are going through hard times. One time is shown on pg. 183 when the travelers are attacked by villagers who perceives them as bandits and thus band together to fend off the supposed bandits only to stop when they find out that they are simply travelers looking for a home. This sense of community was extinguished with the formation of kingdoms that essentially treated the peasants like property that only tried to work the lord’s holdings.
Another central piece to the daily lives of Romans is the use of public baths as a way to both destress and socialize. Romans were relatively sanitary with many construction projects being done to improve the health of its citizens. Buildings such as