After our recent history studies, we became historical people from Ancient Rome, playing out manifestations of power, boldness, drama, and intrigue using original writings from the Greeks which our Founding Fathers read.
Stumbling upon the Oppian Law, I created the script, below, based on historical accounts.
MOB SCENE AND DONNING OF TOGA
We began the program by acting like a mob.
My son approached the room our guest was located while yelling, “All citizens, to the Forum, to hear the Oppian law!”
Our guest donned a toga handed him to wear, en route to the Forum.
OPPIAN LAW IMPOSED AFTER PUNIC WAR 216 BC
My son opened the program by reading the background for the events to come, around the time of the Punic Wars, fought against Carthage (in North Africa).
To pay for the defeat of the first war in 216BC, the Oppian Law was passed, which taxed the land of the wealthy widows, whose husbands died in the war.
Taxed, not allowed to be adorned with gold jewelry, nor allowed to wear purple, the widows willingly contributed to their patriotic duty.
After the grand victory of the Second Punic War in 201BC, those previously bound by the Oppian Law outside of Rome were released to enjoy their wealth.
The widows in Rome protested by forming mobs outside the Forum creating debate within the hallowed walls of the men-only Senate.
Then my daughter quoted the famous Roman historian, Livy:
The matrons whom neither counsel nor shame nor their husbands’ orders could keep at home, blockaded every street in the city and every entrance to the Forum. As the men came down to the Forum, the matrons besought them to let them, too, have back the luxuries they had enjoyed before, giving as their reason that the republic was thriving and that everyone’s private wealth was increasing with every day. This crowd of women was growing daily, for now they were even gathering from the towns and villages. Before long they dared go up and solicit consuls, praetors, and other magistrates.
When the speeches for and against the law had been made, a considerably larger crowd of women poured forth in public the next day; as a single body they besieged the doors of the tribunes, who were vetoing their colleagues’ motion, and they did not stop until the tribunes took back their veto. After that there was no doubt that all the tribes would repeal the law. -Livy
While waiting for our various parts, we waited behind the stage curtain.
At this point, my daughter and I acted like the mob of women, who streamed into the forum to protest the law and wait for a response.
We came into the Forum (gasp) to listen to the opposing arguments.
Then Cato the Elder, a senator, (my son) spoke against repealing the Oppian Law:
If each man of us, fellow citizens, had established that the rights and authority of the husband should be held over the mother of his own family, we should have less difficulty with women in general; now, at home our freedom is conquered by female fury, here in the Forum it is bruised and trampled upon, and because we have not contained the individuals, we fear the lot…
Indeed, I blushed when, a short while ago, I walked through the midst of a band of women. I should have said, ‘What kind of behavior is this? Running around in public, blocking streets, and speaking to other women’s husbands! Could you not have asked our own husbands the same thing at home? Are you more charming in public with others’ husbands than at home with your own? And yet, it is not fitting even at home for you to concern yourselves with what laws are passed or repealed here.’
Our ancestors did not want women to conduct any – not even private – business without a guardian; they wanted them to be under the authority of parents, brothers, or husbands; we (the gods help us!) even now let them snatch at the government and meddle in the Forum and our assemblies. What are they doing now on the streets and crossroads, if they are not persuading the tribunes to vote for repeal? Give the reins to their unbridled nature and this unmastered creature, and hope that they will put limits on their own freedom. They want freedom, nay license, in all things.
If they are victorious now, what will they not attempt? As soon as they begin to be your equals, they will have become your superiors… What honest excuse is offered, pray, for this womanish rebellion? ‘That we might shine with gold and purple,’ says one of them, ‘that we might ride through the city in coaches on holidays as though triumphant over the conquered law and the votes which we captured by tearing them from you…’
Pity that husband – the one who gives in and the one who stands firm! What he refuses, he will see given by another man. Now they publicly solicit other women’s husbands, and, what is worse, they ask for a law and votes, and certain men give them what they want…
I vote that the Oppian Law should not, in the smallest measure, be repealed; whatever course you take, may all the gods make you happy with it. -Cato, the Elder
Giving the opposing viewpoint, our guest became Lucius Valerius:
I shall defend the motion, not ourselves, against whom the consul has hurled this charge. He has called this assemblage ‘succession’ and sometimes ‘womanish rebellion,’ because the matrons have publicly asked you, in peacetime when the state is happy and prosperous, to repeal a law passed against them during the straits of war. Not too far back in history, in the most recent war, when we needed funds, did not the widows’ money assist the treasury?…
What, after all, have they done? We have proud ears indeed, if, while masters do not scorn the appeals of slaves, we are angry when honorable women ask something of us…
Since our matrons lived for so long by the highest standards of behavior without any law, what risk is there that, once it is repealed, they will yield to luxury? Shall we forbid only women to wear purple? When you, a man, may use purple on your clothes, will you not allow the mother of your family to have a purple cloak, and will your horse be more beautifully saddled than your wife is garbed?…
By Hercules! All are unhappy and indignant when they see the finery denied them permitted to the wives of the Latin allies, when they see them adorned with gold and purple, when those other women ride through the city and they follow on foot, as though the power belonged to the other women’s cities, not to their own. This could wound the spirits of men; what do you think it could do to the spirits of women, whom even little things disturb?
They cannot partake of magistracies, priesthoods, triumphs, badges of office, gifts, or spoils of war; elegance, finery, and beautiful clothes are women’s badges, in these they find joy and take pride; this our forebears called the women’s world…
Of course, if you repeal the Oppian Law, you will not have the power to prohibit that which the law now forbids; daughters, wives, even some men’s sisters will be less under your authority – [But] never, while her men are well, is a woman’s slavery cast off. It is for the weaker sex to submit to whatever you advise. The more power you possess, all the more moderately should you exercise your authority. -Lucius Valerius
After Q&A, we proceeded to the next part.
CIVIL WAR 42 BC
We advanced one hundred years to 42BC to a Civil War.
To pay for the war, the triumvirs decided to tax the wealthy women.
Since this involved Civil War, these women feared the money would be used to fight their own families.
Protesting their way into the Forum, they had Hortensia speak on their behalf.
(gasp-A woman had never spoken in the Forum before!)
Hortensia was an educated woman, daughter of a famous orator, Quintus Hortensius.
After my son gave the background, my daughter and I made mob shouts from behind the curtain, then she pulled me into the forum, in front of the curtain.
I portrayed Hortensia and gave her speech as recorded by Appian:
As was appropriate for women like ourselves when addressing a petition to you, we rushed to your womenfolk. But we did not get the treatment we were entitled to from Fulvia (wife of Marc Antony), and have been driven by her into the Forum. You have already stolen from us our fathers and sons and husbands and brothers by your proscriptions, on the grounds that they had wronged you. But if you also steal from us our property, you will set us into a state unworthy of our family and manners and our female gender. If you claim that you have in any way been wronged by us, as you were by our husbands, proscribe us as you did them. But if we women have not voted any of you public enemies, if we did not demolish your houses or destroy your army or lead another army against you; if we have not kept you from public office or honour, why should we share the penalties if we have no part in the wrongdoing?
Why should we pay taxes when we have no part in public office or honours or commands or government in general, an evil you have fought over with such disastrous results? Because, you say, this is a time of war? And when have there not been wars? and when have women paid taxes? By nature of their sex women are absolved from paying taxes among all mankind. Our mothers on one occasion long ago were superior to their sex and paid taxes, when your whole government was threatened and the city itself, when the Carthaginians were pressuring you. They gave willingly, not from their land or their fields or their dowry or their households, without which life would be unlivable for free women, but only from their own jewelry, and not with a fixed price set on it, nor under threat of informers and accusers or by force, but they gave as much as they themselves chose. Why are you now so anxious about the government or the country? But if there should a war against the Celts or Parthians, we will not be less eager for our country’s welfare than our mothers. But we will never pay taxes for civil wars, and we will not cooperate with you against each another. We did not pay taxes to Caesar or to Pompey, nor did Marius ask us for contributions, nor Cinna nor Sulla, even though he was a tyrant over this country. And you say that you are reestablishing the Republic!
The speech angered the senators, who sent them away.
Yet the women continued to protest.
Hortentia was pushed away by “that man” and pushed back into the Forum by “that woman!”.
After Q&A, we moved to my son’s presentation.
MARCUS HACATIUS 56 BC
He portrayed Marcus Hacatius, a fictional person he created based on his research from Julius Caesar’s Gaellic Wars, set in 56BC.
His rank was Tribunus Laticlavius, in command of the 8th Legion.
They warred against the Helvetii (from Switzerland area) and Nervii (part of the Belgic tribes), and also against the Veneti who later settled Venice.
Because his father was a senator, he inherited the right to wear the senatorial toga and stripe and to use the cursus honorum, which is the course of offices that a Roman citizen can use to determine his political course according to his status.
His course at 19 allowed him to be appointed to the Vigenti Viri, a board of 20 men.
The next year he was promoted to Tribunus Laticlavius.
When he’s 30 he can become Legatus Legionis, Legion Commander.
He ended his speech by proclaiming: Hail Caesar! Long live the Republic!
OCTAVIA 37-32 BC
After Q&A, my daughter gave her presentation as Octavia.
Married to Mark Antony for a short time, her assets as a political advisor, even while pregnant, caused some to hail her as “a marvel of mankind.”
Because of Cleopatra, Mark Antony divorced Octavia.
A few years later, after his death, Octavia raised his children from Cleopatra along with her own that she had with him.
FEASTING AT THE ETRUSCAN ESTATE
After A&A, we enjoyed a feast at the Etruscan estate.
{{{I had a gift card from a friend, that we used at the Etruscan Estate of Olive Garden. We ordered fried zucchini, stuffed mushrooms, and toasted ravioli.}}}
ROMAN QUOTES
During dinner, I read quotes from famous Roman writers to continue our unusually short history presentation.
My intent was to use the quotes as conversation starters, digging into their meanings.
Throughout the whole earth, and wherever the vault of heaven spreads, there is no country so fair. -Pliny
Here is eternal spring and summer even in months not her own. Twice in the year the cattle breed, twice the trees serve us fruit. Virgil
Roman, remember by your strength to rule
Earth’s peoples—for your arts are to be these:
To pacify, to impose the rule of law,
To spare the conquered, battle down the proud.
(VI.1151–1154) Virgil, The Aeneid
Fortune favors the bold. Book 10 Virgil, The Aeneid
Go forth a conqueror and win great victories. Virgil, The Aeneid
He who steals from a citizen ends his days in fetters and chains; but he who steals from the community ends them in purple and gold. -Cato
Plato says that from the exaggerated license which people call liberty, tyrants spring up as from a root…and that at last such liberty reduces a nation to slavery. Everything in excess is changed into its opposite…For out of such an ungoverned populace one is usually chosen as leader…someone bold and unscrupulous…who curries favor with the people by giving them other men’s property. To such a man, because he has much reason for fear if he remains a private citizen, the protection of public office is given, and continually renewed. He surrounds himself with an armed guard, and emerges as a tyrant over the very people who raised him to power. –Cicero
It is not the ramparts of the Alps, nor the foaming and flooding Rhine, but the arms and generalship of Caesar which I account our true shield and barrier against the invasion of the Gauls and the barbarous tribes of Germany. It is to him we owe it that, should the mountains be leveled with the plain and the rivers be dried up, we should still hold our Italy fortified not by nature’s bulwarks but by the exploits and victories of Caesar. -Cicero
The Tiber was full of the corpses of citizens, the public sewers were stuffed with them, and slaves had to mop up with sponges the blood that streamed from the Forum. -Cicero
the die is cast –Julius Caesar
