Life, Death, and Entertainment in the Roman Empire

By David J. Mattingly

Book Overview

"[T]his handsomely-produced volume performs admirably as a series of introductions to sources, approaches, and the state of scholarship on major topics in Roman social history . . . Collections of essays come and go, but this one will stay in wide use. Each essay can stand alone but, tied together by the theme of dominance, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
---Donald Kyle, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"This collection of essays is intended to serve as a coursebook for introductory lecture series on Roman civilization; the essays are concentrated on fundamental aspects of Roman society, and no prior knowledge of antiquity on the reader's part is assumed. . . . The book as a whole is entirely successful in its projected aim: an immense range of detailed information about antiquity is presented in readable and largely sophisticated discussion. . . . Increasingly we need to be able to suggest to our students reading that is introductory but also in-depth and challenging, and this book is one possible reading that we can offer."
---Ellen O'Gorman, Classical Review

Life, Death, and Entertainment gives those with a general interest in Roman antiquity a starting point, informed by the latest developments in scholarship, for understanding the extraordinary range of Roman society. Family structure, slavery, gender identity, food supply, religion, and entertainment---all crucial parts of the Roman world---are discussed here, in a single volume that offers an approachable guide for readers of all backgrounds. The collection unites a series of general introductions on each of these topics, bringing readers in touch with a broad range of evidence, as well as with a wide variety of approaches to basic questions about the Roman world.

The newly expanded edition includes historian Keith Hopkins' pathbreaking article on Roman slaves. Volume editor David Potter has contributed two new translations of documents from emperors Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius. Hadrian's letters document a reorganization of the festival cycle in the Empire and reassert the importance of the Olympic Games; the letter to Marcus provides the most important surviving evidence for how gladiatorial games were actually organized.

Contributors to the volume include Greg S. Aldrete, Hazel Dodge, Bruce W. Frier, Maud W. Gleason, Ann E. Hanson, Keith Hopkins, David J. Mattingly, and David S. Potter.

D.S. Potter is Professor of Classics and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, University of Michigan.

D.J. Mattingly is Professor of Roman Archaeology, University of Leicester, and a Fellow of the British Academy.

Cover illustrations: top left, Karanis Excavation, courtesy Kelsey Museum; bottom right, Monte Testacchio, courtesy David J. Mattingly; center, Pollice Verso by Jean-L?on G?r?me, courtesy Phoenix Art Museum, Museum Purchase.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0472034286
• ISBN13: 9780472034284
• Release Date: August 2010
• Publisher: University of Michigan Press
• Length: 424 Pages
• Weight: 1.36 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

No-Spin Zone

Nothing further to add, but wanted to point out that this work is not as slanted politically correct as Encolp in his review above make it seem. The book is much more objective, all the pseudo-intellectual babbling is purely the reviewer's preferred conlcusions using the data in the book as a springboard. I just can't help wonder why he is so disturbed by so-called "manly types" (or what he means by that).

Power, Wealth, Pleasure, and a "Duh" Mentality...

Sound familiar? Does what goes around -- come aroundagain? Are the malls the 21st century version ofthe Roman baths? Are the Nascar racetracks the 21stcentury version of the chariot races? Are ourfootball stadiums the 21st century version of theColosseum? This book does not present its themesin these terms, but one cannot help but think aboutthese things as one reads it -- in tandem with readingthe Roman writers who satirized or caught in verse thegoings-on in their own times: Catullus, Martial, Petronius, Juvenal. Besides the "Introduction" by David S. Porter, thereare 3 large Parts to the division of the book. PartI is titled: "Social Structures and Demography". Withinthis section are informative and highly interesting essayson "The Roman Family," "Elite Male Identity in the RomanEmpire," and "Roman Demography." Part II is titled:"Religion." There is only one essay in this Part --"Roman Religion: Ideas and Action." Part III is titled:"Bread and Circuses" [the famous phrase used to describehow the rulers and the "elite" kept the masses under theircontrol -- by giving them doles of food or by providingthem with mass entertainments to keep their minds offthe fact of their gruelling lives and that they didnot lead the "good life" that the "elites" were leading --sound familiar?]. In this Part are the essays: "Feedingthe City: The Organization, Operation,and Scale of theSupply System for Rome," "Amusing the Masses: Buildingsfor Entertainment and Leisure in the Roman World," and"Entertainers in the Roman World." Since our modernera also seems to be so much into shallow entertainmentand pleasures, perhaps the titles of the subsections ofthis last chapter will be intriguing: Actors and Athletes.Chariot Racing.[the factions and their fans sound likeancient Roman predecessors to the WWF and Nascar fanatics...] Gladiators, Beast Hunts, and Executions.[well, we haven't "progressed" in our tastes and"sophistication" that far yet...but, who knows? ...] All in all, this is a very interesting, insightful,intriguing -- as well as provoking book. Thesection that interested me the most was the oneon the Roman emphasis and hang-up on male identity -what was considered manly, and what was not. It isn't,as if that is one of the main obsessions in our owntimes in the U.S. of A. , of course. And what areall the "manly" types contributing to the betterment,stability, and nobility of our present society and culture? It gives one pause, for reflection.

Extremely entertaining and informative

First off, this book is a collection of seven very long essays by different experts. The essays deal with the minutest details of Roman life, ranging from religious practice to construction to gladiatorial combat and criminal execution. Not all essays are created equal, and there are two in here that I found rather dry, but perhaps that is because I couldn't care less about the specifics of amphitheater construction. The others were phenomenal, and even the "boring" ones contain excellent and useful information.I read L,D, & E (as I have begun to call it) for an undergraduate class in Roman History and had to write a critical review-type paper about it. I have to say I actually enjoyed the assignment. The book was, overall, excellent. It features real-life "snapshots" of different aspects of Roman life, and unlike many books about Ancient Rome, it doesn't focus solely on the upper classes. It also doesn't spend any time discussing politics or history or "great men" of the times, so if you're looking for that, go elsewhere. This book is NOT an introduction to imperial Rome -- you'll need to have one of those under your belt already -- but it IS the most wonderful, complete, and readable supplementary material available. It really fills in the gaps and answers questions you didn't know you had, giving you a vastly more complete picture of Rome under the Emperors.

Good resource book

This is an interesting, well-written book that would be a good edition to the library of any student of Roman history as well as being a good resource for writers of historical fiction.

Fantastic discussion of "real life" in Rome...

This book discusses aspects of Roman life that are frequently difficult to research... such as the kinds of toys Roman children enjoyed or the types of birth control that were popular. It covers such subjects as "feeding the city" and "entertaining the populace" as well as religion and other expected items. The work comprises a sweeping approach to "real life stuff" in a framework that is scholarly (with plenty of documentation) but highly entertaining. It's the kind of book I've been wanting to own for years.