DOCSLIB.ORG

Cassius Dio on the Origins of Rome's External Wars Under The

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Cassius Dio on the Origins of Rome's External Wars Under The chapter 3 Causation and Morality: Cassius Dio on the Origins of Rome’s External Wars under the Republic John Rich The fully extant part of Cassius Dio’s eighty-book Roman History opens in 69 BCE, with Book 36, and is dominated by the collapse of the Republic, the ensuing civil wars and the transition to the monarchy of the emperors. Dio’s first thirty-five books survive only in the meagre epitome of Zonaras and in Byzantine collections of excerpts, of which the most important are the Constantinian Excerpts, and particularly the so-called Excerpta de sententiis, preserved in a single defective manuscript (hereafter, ES).1 External wars bulked large in these books, and Roman imperial expansion will have been one of their principal themes. However, their limited preservation has meant that this aspect of Dio’s work has received comparatively little attention. Dio’s view of the origins of Rome’s Republican wars and the related issues of ethics and policy has prompted a few (mostly brief) discussions, but the topic deserves a fresh look.2 1 Authorial Comments on Early Wars Issues relating to war and its ethics were an established feature of the historio- graphical tradition on the first four kings, and fragments from this part of Dio’s narrative preserve a number of authorial observations on such topics. One of the first surviving fragments relates to Romulus’ defeat of Caenina, Antemnae and Crustumerium, three of the communities from which his new citizens had seized wives. Dio remarks that “they learned themselves and taught others that those who seek to avenge their wrongs do not always succeed just 1 On Dio’s early books see now the studies collected in Burden-Strevens & Lindholmer 2019. I discuss the structure and coverage of these books at Rich 2016 and their speeches at Rich 2019. On Dio’s sources in these books see Schwartz 1899, 1692–1697; Urso 2019; and the papers at Fromentin et al. 2016, 125–231. 2 Discussions include Gabba 1955, 301–311; Fechner 1986, 216–246; Hose 1994, 364–384; Urso 2002; Bertrand 2016, 2019; Adler forthcoming. © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2020 | doi:10.1163/9789004434431_005 66 Rich because they have suffered injury, and that those who make demands from the stronger often not only do not get what they ask, but lose the rest” (frg. 5.4: καὶ αὐτοί τε ἐξέμαθον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐξεδίδαξαν ὅτι οὔθ’ οἱ τιμωρούμενοί τινας κατορθοῦσι πάντως, ὅτι προηδίκηνται, οὔθ’ οἱ παρὰ τῶν κρειττόνων ἀπαιτοῦντές τινα ἀπολαμβάνουσιν αὐτά, ἀλλὰ πολλάκις καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ προσαπολλύουσιν).3 Thus for Dio in these, their very first, wars the Romans were in the wrong, but their vic- tories demonstrated the principle, to which he frequently reverts, that being in the right is no guarantee of success in war. Meagre traces survive of Dio’s account of Romulus and Numa, since Zonaras preferred to use Plutarch as his main source for their reigns. However, a frag- ment (frg. 6.6) shows that Dio, like his predecessors, presented Romulus as the warrior founder and Numa as teaching the Romans the arts of peace. Like Dionysius, Dio may have credited Numa with the institution of the fetiales and their procedure for declaring war, and he may also have mentioned his closure of the shrine of Janus as a mark of general peace.4 According to tradition, the pacific Numa was followed by the warrior Tullus Hostilius, the conqueror of Alba. An unsuccessful attempt was said to have been made to reach agreement between the Romans and the Albans as to which should rule the other. Dio explains its failure as arising from what for him were two of the most notable constants in human nature, “men’s innate ri- valry with those like themselves and desire to rule others” (frg. 7.3: τῆς ἐμφύτου τοῖς ἀνθρώποις πρός τε τὸ ὅμοιον φιλονεικίας καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἄρχειν ἑτέρων ἐπιθυμίας).5 The tradition made the fourth king, Ancus Marcius, a composite of his two predecessors: he was naturally pacific, like his grandfather Numa, but the Latins’ raiding and rebuff of his mission seeking redress obliged him to resort to war.6 Dio’s version survives in Zonaras (7.7.1–2) and more fully in a fragment (frg. 8). His distinctive contribution is a characteristic speculation on the par- ties’ motivation. The Latins’ behaviour, rather than being presented as simply aggressive, is attributed to resentment and fear arising from the fate of Alba, and Ancus’ resort to war is explained as resulting from his recognizing what 3 I have taken my translations of Dio from the Loeb edition of E. Cary, with some modifications. 4 Dio’s first extant references to these institutions (50.4.5, 51.20.4) suggest that he had men- tioned them before. Numa’s institution of the fetiales: Dion. Hal. 2.72; Plut. Num. 12.4–8 (fol- lowing Dionysius). 5 Cf. Zonar. 7.6.2. For the incident see also Dion. Hal. 3.9.7–12.1 (with speeches). For similars’ rivalry see also frg. 5.12; 41.53.3. On these factors’ central place in Dio’s conception of human nature see Fechner 1986, 211–213; Kuhn-Chen 2001, 169–171; Rees 2011, 14, 21–23, 28; Burden- Strevens 2015, 201. 6 So Dion. Hal. 3.37.1–3; Livy 1.32.1–4. At this point Livy inserts his account of the fetial proce- dure for declaring war, following a tradition attributing it to Ancus (Livy 1.32.5–14; Rich 2011, 187–188, 199–209)..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Umbria from the Iron Age to the Augustan Era
    UMBRIA FROM THE IRON AGE TO THE AUGUSTAN ERA PhD Guy Jolyon Bradley University College London BieC ILONOIK.] ProQuest Number: 10055445 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest. ProQuest 10055445 Published by ProQuest LLC(2016). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Abstract This thesis compares Umbria before and after the Roman conquest in order to assess the impact of the imposition of Roman control over this area of central Italy. There are four sections specifically on Umbria and two more general chapters of introduction and conclusion. The introductory chapter examines the most important issues for the history of the Italian regions in this period and the extent to which they are relevant to Umbria, given the type of evidence that survives. The chapter focuses on the concept of state formation, and the information about it provided by evidence for urbanisation, coinage, and the creation of treaties. The second chapter looks at the archaeological and other available evidence for the history of Umbria before the Roman conquest, and maps the beginnings of the formation of the state through the growth in social complexity, urbanisation and the emergence of cult places.
    [Show full text]
  • Servius, Cato the Elder and Virgil
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by St Andrews Research Repository MEFRA – 129/1 – 2017, p. 85-100. Servius, Cato the Elder and Virgil Christopher SMITH C. Smith, British School at Rome, University of St Andrews, [email protected] This paper considers one of the most significant of the authors cited in the Servian tradition, Cato the Elder. He is cited more than any other historian, and looked at the other way round, Servius is a very important source for our knowledge of Cato. This paper addresses the questions of what we learn from Servius’ use of Cato, and what we learn about Virgil ? Servius, Cato the Elder, Virgil, Aeneas Cet article envisage la figure du principal auteur cite dans la tradition servienne, Caton l’Ancien. C’est l’historien le plus cité par Servius et, à l’inverse, Servius est une source très importante pour notre connaissance de Caton. Cet article revient sur l’utilisation de Caton par Servius et sur ce que Servius nous apprend sur Virgile. Servius, Catone l’Ancien, Virgile, Énée The depth of knowledge and understanding icance of his account of the beginnings of Rome. underpinning Virgil’s approach to Italy in the Our assumption that the historians focused on the Aeneid demonstrates that he was a profoundly earlier history and then passed rapidly over the learned poet ; and it was a learning which was early Republic is partly shaped by this tendency in clearly drawn on deep knowledge and under- the citing authorities2.
    [Show full text]
  • Research on the Crustumerium Road Trench1
    The Journal of Fasti Online ● Published by the Associazione Internazionale di Archeologia Classica ● Piazza San Marco, 49 – I-00186 Roma Tel. / Fax: ++39.06.67.98.798 ● http://www.aiac.org; http://www.fastionline.org 1 Research on the Crustumerium Road Trench Antti Kuusisto - Juha Tuppi Introduction During 2004 - 2008 the University of Oulu (Finland) carried out a research project in collaboration with the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma and Univer- sity of Cambridge at the location of an ancient Latial city called Crustumerium, about 17 kilo- metres north of Rome (fig. 1). The research done by the University of Oulu focused on the monumental Road Trench crossing the ancient settlement area (fig. 2-3). The authors worked on the project in 2005 - 2008, and the following article is mostly based on their Master’s The- ses, discussing the function and dating of the Road Trench, the two tombs discovered on the western side of the Trench, the development of the settlement at Crustu-merium and its role as a notable city at the borders of Latium and Etruria. Crustumerium Road Trench: function and dating The site of Crustumerium is located on hilltops that are nowadays covered with fields. The main road cutting, dubbed as the Road Trench, rises to the north towards the ancient settlement, and continues on the north side of the hill, descending and curving to the west, towards the Tiber. The research focused on the road cutting at the south side of the hill for Fig. 1. Ancient settlements of the Tiber valley.
    [Show full text]
  • Livy's Early History of Rome: the Horatii & Curiatii
    Livy’s Early History of Rome: The Horatii & Curiatii (Book 1.24-26) Mary Sarah Schmidt University of Georgia Summer Institute 2016 [1] The Horatii and Curiatii This project is meant to highlight the story of the Horatii and Curiatii in Rome’s early history as told by Livy. It is intended for use with a Latin class that has learned the majority of their Latin grammar and has knowledge of Rome’s history surrounding Julius Caesar, the civil wars, and the rise of Augustus. The Latin text may be used alone or with the English text of preceding chapters in order to introduce and/or review the early history of Rome. This project can be used in many ways. It may be an opportunity to introduce a new Latin author to students or as a supplement to a history unit. The Latin text may be used on its own with an historical introduction provided by the instructor or the students may read and study the events leading up to the battle of the Horatii and Curiatii as told by Livy. Ideally, the students will read the preceding chapters, noting Livy’s intention of highlighting historical figures whose actions merit imitation or avoidance. This will allow students to develop an understanding of what, according to Livy and his contemporaries, constituted a morally good or bad Roman. Upon reaching the story of the Horatii and Curiatii, not only will students gain practice and understanding of Livy’s Latin literary style, but they will also be faced with the morally confusing Horatius.
    [Show full text]
  • Etruscan News 19
    Volume 19 Winter 2017 Vulci - A year of excavation New treasures from the Necropolis of Poggio Mengarelli by Carlo Casi InnovativeInnovative TechnologiesTechnologies The inheritance of power: reveal the inscription King’s sceptres and the on the Stele di Vicchio infant princes of Spoleto, by P. Gregory Warden by P. Gregory Warden Umbria The Stele di Vicchio is beginning to by Joachim Weidig and Nicola Bruni reveal its secrets. Now securely identi- fied as a sacred text, it is the third 700 BC: Spoleto was the center of longest after the Liber Linteus and the Top, the “Tomba della Truccatrice,” her cosmetics still in jars at left. an Umbrian kingdom, as suggested by Capua Tile, and the earliest of the three, Bottom, a warrior’s iron and bronze short spear with a coiled handle. the new finds from the Orientalizing securely dated to the end of the 6th cen- necropolis of Piazza d’Armi that was tury BCE. It is also the only one of the It all started in January 2016 when even the heavy stone cap of the chamber partially excavated between 2008 and three with a precise archaeological con- the guards of the park, during the usual cover. The robbers were probably dis- 2011 by the Soprintendenza text, since it was placed in the founda- inspections, noticed a new hole made by turbed during their work by the frequent Archeologia dell’Umbria. The finds tions of the late Archaic temple at the grave robbers the night before. nightly rounds of the armed park guards, were processed and analysed by a team sanctuary of Poggio Colla (Vicchio di Strangely the clandestine excavation but they did have time to violate two of German and Italian researchers that Mugello, Firenze).
    [Show full text]
  • Romana Stasolla, Stefano Tortorella Direttore Responsabile: Domenico Palombi
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by St Andrews Research Repository NUOVA SERIE Rivista del Dipartimento di Scienze dell’antichità Sezione di Archeologia Fondatore: GIULIO Q. GIGLIOLI Direzione Scientifica MARIA CRISTINA BIELLA, ENZO LIPPOLIS, LAURA MICHETTI, GLORIA OLCESE, DOMENICO PALOMBI, MASSIMILIANO PAPINI, MARIA GRAZIA PICOZZI, FRANCESCA ROMANA STASOLLA, STEFANO TORTORELLA Direttore responsabile: DOMENICO PALOMBI Redazione: FABRIZIO SANTI, FRANCA TAGLIETTI Vol. LXVIII - n.s. II, 7 2017 «L’ERMA» di BRETSCHNEIDER - ROMA Comitato Scientifico PIERRE GROS, SYBILLE HAYNES, TONIO HÖLSCHER, METTE MOLTESEN, STÉPHANE VERGER Il Periodico adotta un sistema di Peer-Review Archeologia classica : rivista dell’Istituto di archeologia dell’Università di Roma. - Vol. 1 (1949). - Roma : Istituto di archeologia, 1949. - Ill.; 24 cm. - Annuale. - Il complemento del titolo varia. - Dal 1972: Roma: «L’ERMA» di Bretschneider. ISSN 0391-8165 (1989) CDD 20. 930.l’05 ISBN CARTACEO 978-88-913-1563-2 ISBN DIGITALE 978-88-913-1567-0 ISSN 0391-8165 © COPYRIGHT 2017 - SAPIENZA - UNIVERSITÀ DI ROMA Aut. del Trib. di Roma n. 104 del 4 aprile 2011 Volume stampato con contributo di Sapienza - Università di Roma INDICE DEL VOLUME LXVIII ARTICOLI AMBROGI A. (con un’appendice di FERRO C.), Un rilievo figurato di età tardo- repubblicana da un sepolcro dell’Appia antica ............................................... p. 143 BALDASSARRI P., Lusso privato nella tarda antichità: le piccole terme di Palazzo Valentini e un pavimento in opus sectile con motivi complessi...................... » 245 BARATTA G., Falere tardo-antiche ispaniche con quattro passanti angolari: aggiornamenti e ipotesi sulla funzionalità del tipo ......................................... » 289 BARBERA M., Prime ipotesi su una placchetta d’avorio dal Foro Romano .........
    [Show full text]
  • Funerary Ritual and Urban Development in Archaic Central Italy by Jennifer Marilyn Evans a Disser
    Funerary Ritual and Urban Development in Archaic Central Italy By Jennifer Marilyn Evans A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Classical Archaeology in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor J. Theodore Peña, Chair Professor Christopher Hallett Professor Dylan Sailor Professor Nicola Terrenato Professor Carlos Noreña Spring 2014 Copyright 2014, Jennifer Marilyn Evans Abstract Funerary Ritual and Urban Development in Archaic Central Italy by Jennifer Marilyn Evans Doctor of Philosophy in Classical Archaeology University of California, Berkeley Professor J. Theodore Peña, Chair This dissertation examines the evidence for burial in archaic Rome and Latium with a view to understanding the nature of urban development in the region. In particular, I focus on identifying those social and political institutions that governed relations between city‐ states at a time when Rome was becoming the most influential urban center in the area. I examine the evidence for burial gathered primarily from the past four decades or so of archaeological excavation in order to present first, a systematic account of the data and second, an analysis of these materials. I reveal that a high degree of variation was observed in funerary ritual across sites, and suggest that this points to a complex system of regional networks that allowed for the widespread travel of people and ideas. I view this as evidence for the openness of archaic societies in Latium, whereby people and groups seem to have moved across regions with what seems to have been a fair degree of mobility.
    [Show full text]
  • Crustumerium : Characteristics of a Frontier Settlement
    Angelo Amoroso Crustumerium : Characteristics of a Frontier Settlement Introduction I have defined Crustumerium as a ‘frontier’ settlement. This is an incorrect term if used in the modern meaning of «demarcation line, separation, obstacle, boundary». In fact, we must not consider an ancient ‘frontier’ – in our case the course of the Tiber – exclusively as a physical element which separated and distinguished those who lived on the opposite banks of the river 1. I would like to return to some aspects relating to the geographical position and characteristics of a Latin centre the study of which was published together with Francesco di Gennaro and Andrea Schiappelli, with reference to the Early Iron Age 2, in order to update the picture published at the time. Recent data has made it possible to ascertain how the Early Iron Age at Crustumerium is not just documented mainly by surface survey material. Excavations undertaken within the settlement 3 and on the necropolis of Monte Del Bufalo 4, confirm that there are no known ma- terials from the proto- urban centre that are earlier than sub-phase IIB2 of the Latium cul- ture. To date there are no attestations of the Fig. 1 – The territory on both sides of the lower Tiber valley, between the Aniene, lake Mart ignano fosso della Bufala, the Monti Lucretili and Tibutini. Main PF2 centres, settlement limits (red) (drawing by Author). 1 COLONNA 1986; TORELLI 2003. 2 DI GENNARO ET ALII 2002, 162–176. 3 BARBARO ET ALII 2008. 4 BELELLI MARCHESINI 2008; DI GENNARO , BELELLI MARCHESINI , in these conference papers. Bollettino di Archeologia on line I 2010/ Volume speciale F / F6 / 1 Reg.
    [Show full text]
  • Livy, the History of Rome, Book I, Chapters 9-13
    This ancient account of the abduction of the Sabine women comes from the Roman historian Livy who wrote around the turn of the 1st Century during the Augustan Era. This translation is by Rev. Canon Roberts and is available at www.perseus.tufts.edu. LIVY, THE HISTORY OF ROME, BOOK I, CHAPTERS 9-13 CHAPTER 9 THE RAPE OF THE SABINES The Roman State had now become so strong that it was a match for any of its neighbors in war, but its greatness threatened to last for only one generation, since through the absence of women there was no hope of offspring, and there was no right of intermarriage with their neighbors. Acting on the advice of the senate, Romulus sent envoys amongst the surrounding nations to ask for alliance and the right of intermarriage on behalf of his new community. It was represented that cities, like everything else, sprung from the humblest beginnings, and those who were helped on by their own courage and the favor of heaven won for themselves great power and great renown. As to the origin of Rome, it was well known that whilst it had received divine assistance, courage and self-reliance were not wanting. There should, therefore, be no reluctance for men to mingle their blood with their fellow men. Nowhere did the envoys meet with a favorable reception. Whilst their proposals were treated with contumely, there was at the same time a general feeling of alarm at the power so rapidly growing in their midst. Usually they were dismissed with the question, `whether they had opened an asylum for women, for nothing short of that would secure for them inter-marriage on equal terms.' The Roman youth could ill brook such insults, and matters began to look like an appeal to force.
    [Show full text]
  • Uva-DARE (Digital Academic Repository)
    UvA-DARE (Digital Academic Repository) Latin cults through Roman eyes Myth, memory and cult practice in the Alban hills Hermans, A.M. Publication date 2017 Document Version Other version License Other Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Hermans, A. M. (2017). Latin cults through Roman eyes: Myth, memory and cult practice in the Alban hills. General rights It is not permitted to download or to forward/distribute the text or part of it without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), other than for strictly personal, individual use, unless the work is under an open content license (like Creative Commons). Disclaimer/Complaints regulations If you believe that digital publication of certain material infringes any of your rights or (privacy) interests, please let the Library know, stating your reasons. In case of a legitimate complaint, the Library will make the material inaccessible and/or remove it from the website. Please Ask the Library: https://uba.uva.nl/en/contact, or a letter to: Library of the University of Amsterdam, Secretariat, Singel 425, 1012 WP Amsterdam, The Netherlands. You will be contacted as soon as possible. UvA-DARE is a service provided by the library of the University of Amsterdam (https://dare.uva.nl) Download date:01 Oct 2021 CHAPTER IV: Jupiter Latiaris and the feriae Latinae: celebrating and defining Latinitas The region of the Alban hills, as we have seen in previous chapters, has been interpreted by both modern and ancient authors as a deeply religious landscape, in which mythical demigods and large protective deities resided next to and in relation to each other.
    [Show full text]
  • An Exploration of Early Romanization: a Comparative and Semiotic Approach
    City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2-2016 An Exploration of Early Romanization: A Comparative and Semiotic Approach Mikel Wein Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/705 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] AN EXPLORATION OF EARLY ROMANIZATION: A COMPARATIVE AND SEMIOTIC APPROACH by MIKEL C. WEIN A master’s thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts, the City University of New York 2016 ©2016 MIKEL C. WEIN All Rights Reserved ii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Liberal Studies satisfying the thesis requirement for the degree of Master of Arts. __________________________________________ ____________________ __________________________________________ Date Thesis Adviser __________________________________________ _____________________ __________________________________________ Date Executive Officer THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract AN EXPLORATION OF EARLY ROMANIZATION: A COMPARATIVE AND SEMIOTIC APPROACH by Mikel Wein Adviser: Professor Alexander Bauer Romanization became a popular academic topic after its initial proposal in 1915 by Francis Haverfield. Even today, it is maintained as a popular theory to explain how Rome came to dominate everything from the Italian peninsula to Roman Britain. Traditionally, Romanization has been framed using a theoretical framework of dominance through cultural diffusion.
    [Show full text]
  • UC Santa Barbara Dissertation Template
    UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara Integration of Italians in the Late Republic and Julio-Claudian Principate A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in History by Delbert James Conrad Committee in charge: Professor Elizabeth DePalma Digeser, Chair Professor John W. I. Lee Professor Rose MacLean June 2017 The dissertation of Delbert James Conrad is approved. ______________________________________________ John W. I. Lee ______________________________________________ Rose MacLean ______________________________________________ Elizabeth DePalma Digeser, Committee Chair June 2017 Integration of Italians in the Late Republic and Julio-Claudian Principate Copyright © 2017 by Delbert James Conrad iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I thank first Professor Beth Digeser for reading countless drafts and providing unfailing encouragement, and the rest of my committee, Professors John Lee and Rose MacLean, for their contributions to this project and their interest in it. I could not have completed this dissertation without the support of others beyond my committee. I thank my undergraduate adviser at Pacific Lutheran University, Professor Eric Nelson, who introduced me to Latin and encouraged me to pursue graduate study. I thank Professor Frances Hahn of the Classics department at UCSB, in whose class I first noticed the importance of Rome’s allies in Livy’s first book. I also thank Professor Sara Lindheim, also of the Classics Department at UCSB, who read my first essay on the topic of this dissertation,
    [Show full text]