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It says something about Roman cognomens (cognomina?) that after Mucius heroically burned off his own right hand to demonstrate the intensity of purpose he came against the enemy with, he was ever after called Scaevola.
Which is to say, "Lefty."
Which is to say, "Lefty."
Anyway, yes, I'm lingering over the fun bits in Livy. Which is to say, the stuff before the Scipios.
...must not wander off and find a paper that explains the murkily implied but never outright explained sex (not just gender, that bit's obvious) aspects of what's going on in the Cloelia story.
Aw yeah, the mob uprising against debt slavery, especially when imposed on military veterans.
The promised cancelation of debt slavery is withdrawn after the war is won, so now the plebes are in full revolt.
Not, like, in military insurrection, but in preventing people from being arrested for debts, especially fellow soldiers.
Also, punitive voting. Mmm.
Not, like, in military insurrection, but in preventing people from being arrested for debts, especially fellow soldiers.
Also, punitive voting. Mmm.
"It was impossible for the consul’s decree to be heard above the din and shouting, and when it had been pronounced nobody obeyed it."
"Violence was the order of the day, and fear and danger had quite shifted from the debtors to the creditors, who were singled out and maltreated by large numbers in full sight of the consul."
"A levy was decreed, but no one enlisted."
I think, in our focus on Julius Caesar and later, it's awfully easy to forget how much of Roman history was about the common folks going "Yeah, /no/" when pushed too far, until the senate made concessions.
They never had a Revolution, as such. Just a lot of different points where they stopped being polite and got very loud and direct, until the aristocrats gave in.
It wasn't perfect. And it didn't last.
But then, what is? What does?
It wasn't perfect. And it didn't last.
But then, what is? What does?
"...it was resolved that they should hold a levy with the utmost severity: it was idleness that made the plebeians lawless."
"...the crowd, which surrounded the speaker as in a public meeting, declared that it was impossible to deceive the commons any longer; the consuls would never have a single soldier unless a public guarantee were given."
"The senate was convened in confusion, and they deliberated in still greater confusion. "
This is, like, my second favorite part of all of Livy.
(The best is still the Cloelia story.)
This is, like, my second favorite part of all of Livy.
(The best is still the Cloelia story.)
"Appius Claudius, naturally harsh, & rendered savage by the hatred of the plebs on the one hand & the praises of the Fathers on the other, said that it was not misery but licence that had stirred up so great a hubbub, & that wantonness was what ailed the plebs rather than anger."
<reads through a bunch of far less interesting battle scenes to get back to the good stuff>
Secession of the plebs! Aw yeah!
