Monster Theory

Throughout History there has always been a bad guy, or an enemy, someone bad who is a threat to everyone else. What makes this person or group such a bad figure, well, the fact that they are different from the people who are writing the history, the creators. Using the work of Cohen’s “Monster Theory,” one can examine the role of othering in world history while looking at the Tacitus:Germania, Plutarch’s The Parallel Lives, and the Records of the Han Dynasty. Looking at how the Romans created a monster out of a Germanic tribe and pirates of the Mediterranean despite their relations with those groups. We also see the othering of the Xiongnu people from the Han empires, turn from a dislike into a fear. These documents exhibit evidence supporting
Cilicia, on the Mediterranean coast, was under the control of the Roman Empire. In Cohen’s Monster Theory, he explains that monsters come from within, they are distant, but still stem from the creator society. Using The Parallel Lives, by Plutarch, you see the judgment of part of the Roman society who decided that they were not going to live by every rule set in place. They still are Romans, yet they are casted as an outsider. One can look more into the Roman culture and see that a fear of their society was being different, stepping out of line. The Romans shed a negative light on the pirates because they did not follow their family lineage and chose to live a more risqué style of life that would bring them recognition. This again reflects on Cohens idea that the monster comes from within and that the monster reveals what the creator ultimately fears. Although, the Romans were skeptical of the pirates because of their behavior you still see evidence of more typical Roman culture in them. In Rome we saw polytheism, temples and sacrifices. Plutarch writes, “They also offered strange sacrifices of their own at Olympus, and celebrated there certain secret rites…” You see a connection of the religions when talking about the worship of multiple gods and the idea of leaving things for their patrons in the form of
The pirates clearly had a bias against the Romans, expressed by, insulting them, attacking their cities, and killing people who claimed to be Roman. They were set on disrupting the Roman’s life in any way possible, especially if it would bring them enjoyment and entertainment. This made the Pirates a very clear enemy of the Romans from the start. The pirate’s antics got so bad that it affected the whole Mediterranean and shut down the trade, making it difficult for the Romans to get their goods. Considering the damage the pirates did to the Roman Empire it is with good reasoning they were considered enemies. Although the Romans did try and interfere with the pirates, no economic or military policies did stick with them or influence their actions, most likely due to the destructive attitude the pirates felt towards Romans. Looking back on Cohens theory on Monsters, they are created and made with the knowledge of the creator’s past. The pirates were a part of the Roman Empire, they understood the history and the present and from that; they became the enemy of the empire. They did not just appear and start raising havoc, it is based on their previous knowledge of their creators that they become