DOCSLIB.ORG

Historical Background of Cicero's Oration, "The Citizenship of Archias"

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Historical Background of Cicero's Oration, ■!feL I 173 j'?, ■$ ■ June, 1926] THE VIRGINIA TEACHER I ades. "In that remarkably short space of tory of our civilization is a desirable element time," someone has pointed out, "Rayon has in the training for intelligent American citi- 'i'iS" ■ laA established a place for itself among these zenship. age-old fibers as one of the five important "It is also believed that the best key to a textiles of the world. This has been called direct and intimate understanding of the Romans and of their civilization is a first a monument to the genius of man, since it ' is the only textile spun and woven for hand contact with their language and litera- . A: human needs which man has invented." ture. A pupil who has learned to compre- I Ethel Hinebaugh hend the thought of a Latin sentence in the V- original has to some extent thought as a ■ V Roman and has come into direct contact '' ' 1 ' HISTORICAL BACKGROUND with the genius of the Roman mind in the OF CICERO'S ORATION, medium which is the most perfect embodi- A THE CITIZENSHIP ment of that genius, the Latin language." : ■■ I Just recently a report of the Classical OF ARCHIAS Investigation has been adopted, by which THE investigation made in 1920 and required readings are no longer asked for .1:11,4" published in 1924 of the classics in in college entrance examinations; and it secondary schools has done much to- further recommends that special attention ■ A ••'v vj ward revolutionizing the high school Latin be paid to developing an historical back- u m course. Of the many aims and objectives, ground. It is found that it is quite impos- besides those which add directly to our abil- sible for the pupil to acquire the necessary m ity in writing, speaking, and understanding background contemporaneously with the English, the greatest per cent of teachers Latin text. For that reason prescribed checked as valid the cultural objectives. The reading in English should precede the trans- ■'•■■■"I principal one of these is quoted as follows: lation. Thus the pupils of the East High "Development of an historical perspective School, Rochester, N. Y., have prepared an and a general cultural background through outline suggesting the information that an increased knowledge of facts relating to should be gained before the study of Cice- i the life, history, institutions, mythology, and ro's oration, For the Manilian Law. religion of the Romans; an increased ap- It is the purpose of this paper to suggest & preciation of the influence of their civiliza- to teachers of high school Latin a detailed iaaM tion, and a broader understanding of social outline to be used by the pupil before the T'fifC and political problems of today." reading of Archias. To see that the techni- The explanation of this aim is further calities of Latin grammar are not empha- stated: "By cultural objectives are meant sized at the expense of the thought content ip those concerned with increasing the pupil's of the reading material, and to give to the fund of information; developing his capa- pupil a working basis for his reading, this city for appreciation, extending his intel- outline suggests some of the information 11! lectual horizon, and broadening his sym- that should be familiar to the pupil. To pathies by direct contact, through the study what extent it should be used will depend of of their language and literature, with the course upon the judgment of the teacher. mind of a people remote in time and place. As a warning may the teacher remember 'A, j'ictc "i. '■■A".;! "It is generally agreed that the solution . this principle of teaching which I recently -■i ? it of present-day social, political, and economic heard an instructor express by the following problems will be aided by an intelligent story: A donkey was nibbling grass in his knowledge of the experience of the race, pasture when his master came by holding ill and that some knowledge of the early his- out a bright, red, juicy carrot. He gave to pji/i ■ A;V: ■mi. V I ■ fAki 174 THE VIRGINIA TEACHER [Vol. 7, No. 6 him a smell and a mere nibble, then jerked this time three social ranks: the senatorial it away, being sure to give him enough to order, the equestrian order, and the popu- make him want more, yet leading him on by lous. not giving him too much at a time. Thus The senatorial order was limited to sena- may the teacher's discretion lead her in the tors who by their life tenure of office and use of this material. their insignia formed a kind of peerage. In order properly to understand Cicero's Nobility, however, did not depend on hold- oration, The Citizenship of Archias, and ing office oneself, but on being descended to follow the argument it will be necessary from an ancestor who had held any office to secure beforehand a general knowledge from the curule aedileship to the dictator- comparable to some extent to that pos- ship. If any person not of senatorial rank sessed by the audience which Cicero ad- should be chosen for such an office his an- dressed. This knowledge should include; cestors should belong to the nobility. Hence I. Roman government in 62 B. C. in rela- the senatorial order and the nobility were tion to Archias. practically the same. 1. Roman Citizenship The next in rank was the equestrian or- 2. Roman Courts der. This body consisted mainly of young II. Identification of certain men. men of wealth who did not belong to the III. Status of literature in Rome at that senatorial order. To this class Cicero be- time. longed. Below these two aristocratic orders in es- A brief discussion of these topics will be tate and in social position were the rest of given below and a full bibliography will be the free born citizens not possessing as given at the end of this outline. much as 400,000 sesterces. Among these I. Roman Government 62 B. C. there was naturally a great variety in for- 1. Citizenship tune cultivation, and respectability, but all It was a fine thing to boast "civis Ro- of these had status superior to that of freed- manus sum." and Archias was not willing men and foreign residents. to lose his citizenship without an effort to It was the first two of these orders which save it. The advantages of a citizen were made up the Roman aristocracy and it was very great. He could command all sorts this aristocratic faction, thinking that the of protection not open to non-citizens. If strength of their opponents lay in the fraud- arrested he could demand the right to give ulent votes of those who were not citizens, bail. He could not be put to torture and, that in 62 B. C. procured the passage of the if condemned to die, he would have been "Lex Papia." By this law "all strangers beheaded—the most merciful end. Par- who possessed neither Roman nor Latin ticularly in matters touching his life and sta- burgess rights were to be rejected from the tus as a citizen he could appeal from the capital." Under this law in 62 B. C. on the lower court to the senate. The high place ground that Archias was not a citizen, an in which Roman citizenship was held is attempt was made to exclude him from Ro- clearly illustrated in the case of Paul, even man citizenship. But it had happened that though Paul lived many years after Cicero. in 89 B. C. twenty-seven years before this Having been arrested in Jerusalem, he time, a law had been passed by the terms of pleaded his Roman citizenship and, even which Roman citizenship was granted to all though the mob clamored for his life, he who at the enactment of the law were en- was sent to Rome, tried before a higher rolled in any city allied with Rome, pro- court, and was finally set at liberty. vided they should register before a Roman There were among the Roman people at Praetor within sixty days. Archias, at that »■*. > \m' June, 1926] THE VIRGINIA TEACHER 175 time a citizen of Heraclea, which for 200 11. Identification of Certain Men years had been closely allied with Rome, 1. Archias, a native of Antiock, was born had registered before the Roman Praetor, about 119 B. C. While just a boy, he Quintus Metellus Pius, and had thus es- showed unusual poetic gifts. He won gen- tablished his citizenship at Rome. eral admiration by giving public exhibition I 2. Roman Courts of his powers in Asia Minor, Greece, and ■ m The Praetors were the exclusive judicial Southern Italy. He came to Rome at about • ■. kp officers of Cicero's time. A Praetor, as pre- the age of seventeen and through his own siding judge of the court, caused a jury to personality and literary accomplishments he V!';'" be sworn in. This jury was made up of was received in the homes of the noblest ili' ' ■ ] men from both the senatorial and equestrian families. It was at this time that he formed 1 vV;*, ranks. A majority of the jurors decided the a close friendship with Cicero. Moreover, verdict. this great poet had a great influence over jifi- V'J The Romans in law courts were very the life of the orator, and for that reason • ' f logical thinkers. The first matter to be at- Cicero felt indebted to Archias and plead I tended to was the settlement of the question his case with all the eloquence at his com- at hand.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • CILICIA: the FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCHES in ANATOLIA1 Mark Wilson
    CILICIA: THE FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN ANATOLIA1 Mark Wilson Summary This article explores the origin of the Christian church in Anatolia. While individual believers undoubtedly entered Anatolia during the 30s after the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:9–10), the book of Acts suggests that it was not until the following decade that the first church was organized. For it was at Antioch, the capital of the Roman province of Syria, that the first Christians appeared (Acts 11:20–26). Yet two obscure references in Acts point to the organization of churches in Cilicia at an earlier date. Among the addressees of the letter drafted by the Jerusalem council were the churches in Cilicia (Acts 15:23). Later Paul visited these same churches at the beginning of his second ministry journey (Acts 15:41). Paul’s relationship to these churches points to this apostle as their founder. Since his home was the Cilician city of Tarsus, to which he returned after his conversion (Gal. 1:21; Acts 9:30), Paul was apparently active in church planting during his so-called ‘silent years’. The core of these churches undoubtedly consisted of Diaspora Jews who, like Paul’s family, lived in the region. Jews from Cilicia were members of a Synagogue of the Freedmen in Jerusalem, to which Paul was associated during his time in Jerusalem (Acts 6:9). Antiochus IV (175–164 BC) hellenized and urbanized Cilicia during his reign; the Romans around 39 BC added Cilicia Pedias to the province of Syria. Four cities along with Tarsus, located along or near the Pilgrim Road that transects Anatolia, constitute the most likely sites for the Cilician churches.
    [Show full text]
  • Civis Romanus Sum Citizenship in Ancient Rome Was Valued Not Only
    Civis Romanus Sum Citizenship in Ancient Rome was valued not only for the rights and social status it provided, but also for the sense of patriotism and honor it instilled in the Roman people. The gravity of citizenship allowed the Roman Empire’s multitudinous regions to become vastly and impossibly connected by a sense of pride for one Italian city. Citizenship was a commodity valuable enough for soldiers such as Mucius Scaevola to give their right hands for, as well as for plebeians to secede and fight for with their lives. Citizens felt an unbreakable bond between themselves and their nation; they were dedicated to representing and defending Rome at any cost. It was this strong sense of identity that united so many people and created such a dominant empire. Roman citizenship was one of the most prized possessions a European inhabitant could have, bearing the magnitude of rights, ranking, honor, and a powerful sense of Roman identity. Although some Roman people were born into citizenship, the rest of the population yearned for such rights and status, and took whatever action they could to become true, legal members of Roman society. Citizenship included suffrage, the right to run for and occupy office, the right to not be tortured, crucified, or be sentenced to death unless found guilty of treason, the right to marry, to hold property, and to have a trial, as well as various “public” and “private” prerogatives. Romans born into a noble family inherited citizenship and social status; they made up the patrician class, while the lower plebeian class was made up of free non-citizens.
    [Show full text]
  • 3. Rome: Roman Citizenship Robert L
    Section I: Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem: Contemporary Civilization (Ideas and Institutions Background of Western Civilization of Western Man) 1958 3. Rome: Roman Citizenship Robert L. Bloom Gettysburg College Basil L. Crapster Gettysburg College Harold A. Dunkelberger Gettysburg College See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/contemporary_sec1 Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, and the Cultural History Commons Share feedback about the accessibility of this item. Bloom, Robert L. et al. "3. Rome: Roman Citizenship. Pt. I: Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem: Background of Western Civilization." Ideas and Institutions of Western Man (Gettysburg College, 1958), 59-61. This is the publisher's version of the work. This publication appears in Gettysburg College's institutional repository by permission of the copyright owner for personal use, not for redistribution. Cupola permanent link: https://cupola.gettysburg.edu/ contemporary_sec1/10 This open access book chapter is brought to you by The uC pola: Scholarship at Gettysburg College. It has been accepted for inclusion by an authorized administrator of The uC pola. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 3. Rome: Roman Citizenship Abstract The Roman concept of citizenship represents both a measure of their capacity to govern and one of their key contributions to Western culture. In the Greek city-state, citizenship was something which could not be separated from the intimate and varied life of the polis. It enabled a man to live the good life because it entitled him to participate in all the activities which the polis sponsored.
    [Show full text]
  • How Ancient Greece and Rome Provide Insight for Citizenship and Immigration in the 21St Century
    Xavier University Exhibit Honors Bachelor of Arts Undergraduate 2019-4 Comparing Ancient to Modern: How Ancient Greece and Rome Provide Insight for Citizenship and Immigration in the 21st Century Viktoria Schumacher Follow this and additional works at: https://www.exhibit.xavier.edu/hab Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, Ancient Philosophy Commons, Classical Archaeology and Art History Commons, Classical Literature and Philology Commons, and the Other Classics Commons Comparing Ancient to Modern: How Ancient Greece and Rome Provide Insight for Citizenship and Immigration in the 21st Century Viktoria Schumacher CPHAB Senior Thesis Xavier University 2019 Director: Thomas Strunk Readers: Jay Arns and Tim Severyn 1 Introduction Migration plays an extremely vital role in the advancement of human societies. Despite our world’s staggering history with immigration, the conversation about how to manage current issues has fallen flat. Patterns of immigration have demonstrated that the number of migrants, especially refugees, has peaked in the 21st century, and numbers are still raising steadily.1 The increase is caused by an abundance of factors, including major events such as the Syrian refugee crisis, harmful or unfavorable political climates, and ongoing gang violence in Mexico and Central America. These issues have gone largely unsolved, causing immense suffering resulting in millions of people to migrate out of their home countries. Movement away from home due to tumultuous times is not a new concept. In fact, migration history demonstrates that major movement of people is a characteristic of our world. I posit that looking at migration in our past as well as examining its effects on different societies will offer a perspective that has otherwise been ignored.
    [Show full text]
  • The Art of Citizenship Roman Cultural Identity in Cicero’S Pro Archia Poeta
    The ArT of CiTizenship Roman Cultural Identity in Cicero’s Pro Archia Poeta fisher pressman This paper examines CiCero’s Pro ArchiA PoetA oraTio and The auThor’s impliCiT and expliCiT views on how roman CulTural idenTiTy is ConsTruCTed. while The speeCh iTself is The legal defense of The poeT arChias’ Claim To roman CiTizenship, iT also siTuaTes The debaTe of legal CiTizenship wiThin a broader ConTexT of roman CulTural idenTiTy. more speCifiCally, iT is argued ThaT The oraTion allows CiCero To emphasize The Com- binaTion of arTes, in This ConTexT replaCing The liTeral definiTion of “skill” or “arT” wiTh a foundaTional and neCessary roman virTue, and humaniTas as a means of de- sCribing The role eduCaTion plays in CreaTing roman idenTiTy. for CiCero, The Combi- naTion of Artes And humAnitAs resulTs in a Type of eduCaTion orienTed Toward Char- aCTerisTiC roman virTues like honor, glory and publiC serviCe, whiCh serves as The basis for his definiTion of roman CulTural idenTiTy. This argumenT Comes primarily from The deConsTruCTion of The oraTion and The examinaTion of speCifiC passages To idenTify key Themes and expressions, and Combining This analysis wiTh reCenT aCa- demiC sCholarship on CiCero’s oraTions. Cicero’s famous defense of the poet Aulus Licinius Archias judgment and tact convinced him that the only way to in Pro Archia Poeta Oratio remains one of the most present his argument, weak on evidence, was to evoke the eloquent and important works of Latin literature to date. elegant and decorative aspects of human letters in defense The work celebrates the merits of literature and art, which of a poet.”4 However, John Dugan contends that this offers a powerful description of what makes an individual unusual style creates the foundation on which Cicero Roman.
    [Show full text]
  • Paul the Roman Citizen: Roman Citizenship in the Ancient World and Its Importance for Understanding Acts 22:22–29
    PAUL THE ROMAN CITIZEN: ROMAN CITIZENSHIP IN THE ANCIENT WORLD AND ITS IMPORTANCE FOR UNDERSTANDING ACTS 22:22–29 Sean A. Adams University of Edinburgh, UK Paul is one of the most important characters within the New Testament, however, there is still much debate surrounding his life, ministry and theology. One of the key pieces of historical background that would shed light on the understanding of Paul is the understanding of his citizenship. Although not mentioned within his letters, Luke reports in the book of Acts that Paul was a Roman citizen in addition to being a Hellenistic Jew born in Tarsus. Determining if Paul was a Roman citizen is an important step in uncovering the Paul behind the letters and the Paul in Acts. In this paper, I will fi rst outline the nature and development of Roman citizenship within the ancient world and its importance for the bestowing of rights and privileges to its holder. This will be followed by a discussion of the historical veracity of Acts and its story. Finally Paul’s citizenship will be evaluated including the role of dual citizenship in the ancient world and the incident of Acts 22:22–29 and the possible ramifi cations of making a false claim of Roman citizenship. Roman Citizenship Citizenship, at the very beginning of Rome’s development, was rela- tively limited to people who lived within Rome and the surrounding area. However, as their infl uence and power increased it became more desirable to have Roman citizenship. Originally, people could only become citizens in three ways: birth, manumission or special conces- sion.1 Citizenship by birth does not require much explanation except 1 Charlotte E.
    [Show full text]
  • 7 the Roman Empire
    Eli J. S. Weaverdyck 7 The Roman Empire I Introduction The Roman Empire was one of the largest and longest lasting of all the empires in the ancient world.1 At its height, it controlled the entire coast of the Mediterranean and vast continental hinterlands, including most of western Europe and Great Brit- ain, the Balkans, all of Asia Minor, the Near East as far as the Euphrates (and be- yond, briefly), and northern Africa as far south as the Sahara. The Mediterranean, known to the Romans as mare nostrum(‘our sea’), formed the core. The Mediterranean basin is characterized by extreme variability across both space and time. Geologically, the area is a large subduction zone between the African and European tectonic plates. This not only produces volcanic and seismic activity, it also means that the most commonly encountered bedrock is uplifted limestone, which is easily eroded by water. Much of the coastline is mountainous with deep river valleys. This rugged topography means that even broadly similar climatic conditions can pro- duce drastically dissimilar microclimates within very short distances. In addition, strong interannual variability in precipitation means that local food shortages were an endemic feature of Mediterranean agriculture. In combination, this temporal and spatial variability meant that risk-buffering mechanisms including diversification, storage, and distribution of goods played an important role in ancient Mediterranean survival strategies. Connectivity has always characterized the Mediterranean.2 While geography encouraged mobility, the empire accelerated that tendency, inducing the transfer of people, goods, and ideas on a scale never seen before.3 This mobility, combined with increased demand and the efforts of the imperial govern- ment to mobilize specific products, led to the rise of broad regional specializations, particularly in staple foods and precious metals.4 The results of this increased con- It has also been the subject of more scholarship than any other empire treated in this volume.
    [Show full text]
  • Roman Law, Roman Citizenship, Roman Identity? Interrelation Between the Three in the Late Republic and Early Empire
    8/15/2014 Roman Law, Roman Citizenship, Roman Identity? Interrelation between the Three in the Late Republic and Early Empire Lina Girdvainyte, 1254707 Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Classics and Ancient Civilizations, Leiden University Supervisor: Prof. dr. L. de Ligt Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 1. Roman law ................................................................................................................................................. 7 1.1 Divisions of Roman law: exclusivity and accessibility to non-Romans ............................................ 8 a. ius civile .............................................................................................................................................. 8 b. ius gentium ....................................................................................................................................... 11 c. ius honorarium ................................................................................................................................. 13 1.2 Legal enactments and their application ............................................................................................ 16 1.3 Administration of justice .................................................................................................................. 18 2. Roman
    [Show full text]
  • Roman History the LEGENDARY PERIOD of the KINGS (753
    Roman History THE LEGENDARY PERIOD OF THE KINGS (753 - 510 B.C.) Rome was said to have been founded by Latin colonists from Alba Longa, a nearby city in ancient Latium. The legendary date of the founding was 753 B.C.; it was ascribed to Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of the daughter of the king of Alba Longa. Later legend carried the ancestry of the Romans back to the Trojans and their leader Aeneas, whose son Ascanius, or Iulus, was the founder and first king of Alba Longa. The tales concerning Romulus’s rule, notably the rape of the Sabine women and the war with the Sabines, point to an early infiltration of Sabine peoples or to a union of Latin and Sabine elements at the beginning. The three tribes that appear in the legend of Romulus as the parts of the new commonwealth suggest that Rome arose from the amalgamation of three stocks, thought to be Latin, Sabine, and Etruscan. The seven kings of the regal period begin with Romulus, from 753 to 715 B.C.; Lucius Tarquinius Superbus, from 534 to 510 B.C., the seventh and last king, whose tyrannical rule was overthrown when his son ravished Lucretia, the wife of a kinsman. Tarquinius was banished, and attempts by Etruscan or Latin cities to reinstate him on the throne at Rome were unavailing. Although the names, dates, and events of the regal period are considered as belonging to the realm of fiction and myth rather than to that of factual history, certain facts seem well attested: the existence of an early rule by kings; the growth of the city and its struggles with neighboring peoples; the conquest of Rome by Etruria and the establishment of a dynasty of Etruscan princes, symbolized by the rule of the Tarquins; the overthrow of this alien control; and the abolition of the kingship.
    [Show full text]
  • Ancient Rome and Early Christianity, 500 B.C.-A.D. 500
    Ancient Rome and Early Christianity, 500 B.C.-A.D. 500 Previewing Main Ideas POWER AND AUTHORITY Rome began as a republic, a government in which elected officials represent the people. Eventually, absolute rulers called emperors seized power and expanded the empire. Geography About how many miles did the Roman Empire stretch from east to west? EMPIRE BUILDING At its height, the Roman Empire touched three continents—Europe, Asia, and Africa. For several centuries, Rome brought peace and prosperity to its empire before its eventual collapse. Geography Why was the Mediterranean Sea important to the Roman Empire? RELIGIOUS AND ETHICAL SYSTEMS Out of Judea rose a monotheistic, or single-god, religion known as Christianity. Based on the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, it soon spread throughout Rome and beyond. Geography What geographic features might have helped or hindered the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire? INTERNET RESOURCES • Interactive Maps Go to classzone.com for: • Interactive Visuals • Research Links • Maps • Interactive Primary Sources • Internet Activities • Test Practice • Primary Sources • Current Events • Chapter Quiz 152 153 What makes a successful leader? You are a member of the senate in ancient Rome. Soon you must decide whether to support or oppose a powerful leader who wants to become ruler. Many consider him a military genius for having gained vast territory and wealth for Rome. Others point out that he disobeyed orders and is both ruthless and devious. You wonder whether his ambition would lead to greater prosperity and order in the empire or to injustice and unrest. ▲ This 19th-century painting by Italian artist Cesare Maccari shows Cicero, one of ancient Rome’s greatest public speakers, addressing fellow members of the Roman Senate.
    [Show full text]
  • The Early Roman Empire and Its Neighbors, 31 B.C.E
    CHAPTER 5 Enclosing the West: The Early Roman Empire and Its Neighbors, 31 B.C.E. - 235 C.E. CHAPTER OUTLINE I. The Imperial Center From the ruins of the Roman Republic, a new political system emerged in which the emperor held absolute power for life. Roman culture was now anchored in an imperial system based on force, as the imperial center, Rome itself, became a model for the whole empire. Throughout the empire as well, Roman law united Roman citizens and separated them from conquered peoples until all free people in the empire gained Roman citizenship in 212 C.E., a sign of the effective Romanization of diverse peoples. A. Imperial Authority: Augustus and After While ostensibly restoring Republican Rome, Octavian gained total political mastery of Rome and ruled it absolutely, although he only accepted from the Senate the title of “Augustus.” Augustus created an imperial system that long survived him, and his successors later openly took the title of emperor. 1. The Problem of Succession After Augustus’ death, the succession of his stepson Tiberius established a hereditary monarchy for the empire, which included emperors adopting able successors. The smooth transition of power the hereditary principle was supposed to ensure, however, was occasionally interrupted by the intervention of the army or civil war. 2. The Emperor’s Role: The Nature of Imperial Power Under the imperial system established by Augustus, the emperor had four main responsibilities: 1) protect and expand imperial territory; 2) administer justice and provide good government throughout the empire; 3) supervise the public worship of the gods; 4) be a symbol of unity in the empire by embodying it.
    [Show full text]
  • For Immediate Release
    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACTS: Ashley Berke Alex Podmaska Director of Public Relations Public Relations Coordinator 215.409.6693 215.409.6895 [email protected] [email protected] ANCIENT ROME & AMERICA EXHIBITION OVERVIEW Overview For generations, the story of ancient Rome’s rise and fall has fueled hopes for national greatness and fears for the fate of America’s republic. Are we Rome? Will America’s rise to world leadership last for a thousand years? Or will our nation come to ruin, like the great Empire of ancient Rome? These questions have haunted Americans since the founding of the new nation in 1776, and they are still with us today. Visitors to the Ancient Rome & America exhibition will discover the many ways in which Americans have imagined ourselves to be a nation built in the image of ancient Rome. Rome’s influence still echoes in the names of political institutions such as capitols and senates, in symbols such as the Goddess of Liberty and the American bald eagle, and in American arts and culture. Ancient Rome & America views the lost world of ancient Rome through American eyes. The exhibition recovers the classical spirit that inspired Rome’s impact on the nation and asks, “What enduring lessons does Rome have for America today?” Walking through the Exhibition The exhibition is divided into five sections: Introduction, Building a Republic, A Classical Revival, Expansion and Empire, and Enduring Legacy. Section 1: Introduction As visitors enter the exhibition, they will immediately notice striking similarities between ancient Rome and America through a dramatic display of two eagles, a classic shared symbol.
    [Show full text]