The Roman Empire’s Sources of Knowledge Essay

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Introduction

Many events of ancient Rome have been documented in various sources. Many events are reflected from different angles and reflect society’s cultural and moral values in different ways. Among the sources of ancient Rome stand out the civil conflict between Catilina and Cicero; the depiction of everyday life and cultural values in the poems of Catullus; Caesar’s work Gallic wars; Virgil’s poem Aeneid.

Catalini vs. Cicero

Sulla’s dictatorship forced Catilina to act violently and violate moral law in many ways. The main reason is the mismatch between the vision of society and its function. Catilina could not lead people as Cicero could, and because of this, their conflict was also the result of personal resentment. I think the reasons may lie in differences in shaping one’s view of life and place in it.

Catullus’s Poems

Catullus’ You, public thief of the baths describes the lust of many ordinary citizens who are incapable of honesty. In a few lines, the poet offers a glimpse of the black side of everyday life, in which stealing is prevalent. A tavern of wickedness, you all who are there in a gathering, is a poem about the rejection of reality. Catullus describes a bar where men have forgotten about righteousness.

Caesar: About War

Caesar talks about his expectations for military uprisings in Galilee and builds up his military might. Caesar personifies himself with “leaders who are considered according to their judgment to possess the greatest influence” (Caesar, p. 110). His vision is true, but he has embellished how many people were involved: there was no such a large scale. Caesar did it to conceal information about his cruelty to embellish his greatness.

Aeneid

The Aeneid is a poem about the regime of the Roman Empire, in which nationalistic violence are iconic. It supports Augustine: “Not her own star confessed a light so clear // Great in her charms, as when on gods above” (Virgil). His characters marvel at the actions taking place in the country. They wait for new accomplishments that appear to be good but are cruel.

Conclusion

Thus, the authenticity of ancient Roman history can be found in a variety of cultural sources. Thus, the causes of the conflict between Catiline and Cicero are established, and human values are documented in the poems of Catullus. Caesar’s writings are a valuable source of knowledge about war, parties and law, and Virgil’s work is a reflection of the historical reality of the Roman Empire.

References

Caesar, J. (n.d.). Gallic wars. (W. A. McDevitte & W. S. Bohn, Trans.).

Virgil. (n.d.). (J. Dryden, Trans.). Classic.

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IvyPanda. 2023. "The Roman Empire's Sources of Knowledge." May 15, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-roman-empires-sources-of-knowledge/.

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