Greco-Roman Culture

Romans were not the bloodthirsty, sadistic people that popular film and literature portray them to have been; they enjoyed friendship, entertainment and leisure, they strived for civility, and were often paralyzed by prohibitions not usually associated with late antiquity. City living had many pleasures to offer the Romans and they strove to make life as pleasurable as possible, but they made nature their own as well. Festivals and the pagan religion were an integral part of the Greco-Roman culture and influenced social interactions within the communities. Roman entertainment included intellectual elements, luxury and leisure, as well as feats of courage and strength. The modern day image of love associated with the Greco-Roman culture does
not accurately depict the beliefs and prohibitions held by the Romans during late antiquity, it is quite the opposite. Romans humanized nature, making it their own and while they enjoyed the country, it did not feel like home (Veyne, pg. 104). Veyne states that to feel at home and safe, the Romans needed walls, much like we need to lock our doors at night. Walls were considered to be a sign of civility and inside those walls – Romans could enjoy the pleasure that city life had to offer. Among the pleasures available within the city walls were the banquets. Banquets, much like the walls themselves, were also a sign of civility (Veyne, pg. 104). Everyone was welcomed at the banquet table, even the poor – everything besides a man’s “profession” fell away, and that is if he had one (Veyne, pg. 105). Veyne claims that there was an art to banqueting; it involved social and intellectual elements including intelligent discussions and philosophical speeches. Roman table manners, however, were less formal than modern day; they sat up to eat only ordinary meals, banquets were strictly observed in the assignment of dining couches around a pedestal table that held a feast (Veyne, pg. 105). While people of culture gathered at banquets that gave rise to symposiums, ordinary people gathered in taverns to enjoy each other’s company. Known as the Collegia, free men and slaves who practiced a common trade gathered as free, private associations (Veyne, pg. 106). These meetings opened up the possibilities of enjoying company with other people of common interests and backgrounds, without women being present (Veyne, pg. 106). The government, however, often feared the potential power of the collegia, mostly because they were being run in a way that mimicked the cities themselves with administrations, council, magistrates and benefactors (Veyne, pg. 106). Bacchus, the God of wine, symbolizes Romans attitudes toward feasting and death (Veyne, pg. 107). Bacchic imagery had no religious or mystical significance, but it was not just decorative either – it affirmed the importance of sociability and pleasure (Veyne, pg. 108). Most Romans worshiped deities that were considered more authentic than Bacchus – that is, when they felt the need for divine protection (Veyne, pg. 107). There were speculations, however, of mystical sects that contributed to the spiritual revolution of late antiquity (Veyne, pg. 108). Festivals were an integral part of the pagan religion; a cult was nothing more than a festival that pleased the Gods as much as the participants (Veyne, pg. 108). The principle rite of a cult was the sacrifice, however, in Greek the word implies “feast” (Veyne, pg. 108). Sacrificial dinner invitations were one among the higher honors to receive and while the religious calendar differed from city to city, each one still called for several festival days where no one would work and sacrifices would be given (Veyne, pg. 109). Romans enjoyed entertainment and leisure, trying to make every day as pleasurable as possible, with access to public baths, theaters, chariot races, gladiator battles or the hunting of wild animals in an arena (Veyne, pg.
110). The baths were similar to modern day beaches – used to tell stories, meet people and show off (Veyne, pg. 111). The role of the baths, however, was to make life as pleasant as possible and even the poor had access to this luxury (Veyne, pg. 110). Because there was no distinction between pleasure and work, benefactors often found themselves ruined after investing in aqueducts for the public baths, theaters, or giant amphitheaters (Veyne, pg. 112). Contrary to popular belief, the gladiator battles that we are familiar with today were not viewed for the slaughter of the participant, but his display of courage during the event (Veyne, pg. 112). It was glory for an athlete to die in the arena and unlike what is portrayed in popular film or literature, Veyne states that all gladiators were volunteers, it made for a better show. Romans did not take pleasure in the murder of athletes; they were in fact, critical of those who did (Veyne, pg. 113). Roman imagery and literature actually paint a very different picture of the culture, not sadistic in nature. In fact, when Romans colonized a barbarian nation, their first concern was to end human sacrifice (Veyne, pg.
113). The association of Greco-Roman culture with love is distorted, much like our idea of their sadistic nature. The legend of pagan sensuality stems from several misinterpretations; in fact, pagans were actually paralyzed by prohibitions (Veyne, pg. 113). Amorous passion was particularly feared because it could turn a free man into the slave of a woman (Veyne, pg. 115). Rome rejected the Greek tradition of “courtly love,” even when a Roman man fell in love his friends and family believed he had lost his mind (Veyne, pg. 115). Veyne believes the Romans were strangers to real paganism – the beautiful, graceful paganism of the Renaissance. In summation, Romans enjoyed the simple pleasure of city life, friendship, entertainment, and leisure. Love was considered slavery to them, but friendship represented freedom and equality (Veyne, pg. 103). During late antiquity, Romans strived for civility. They were not the savages that we often portray them to be today, but people of pleasure, friendship and urbanity. Veyne suggests that we take a closer look into their lives to see just how wrong we are about this culture.