The Commonwealth of Slaves

After the kerfuffles of 420 BCE, it’s time for a brand new year or two! In this episode we consider 419 and 418 BCE. These two years are packed with exciting moments as we get to learn about an uprising from below – we’re siding with the slaves!

We recorded in a new location for this episode. So if you hear a little bit of crowd noise in the background that’s all part of the atmosphere of taping out and about.

Episode 140 – The Commonwealth of Slaves

The Slaves are Revolting!

It happens every so often, but in this year there’s a few twists! Whose side are the gods on? Is that the smell of smoke? We consider the representation of enslaved people in the ancient written literary sources that provide us with their annalistic narratives…

As events unfold, we take a moment to explore the nature of bodily punishment and particularly crucifixion in ancient Rome. Where did it come from? When did it come into practice? We consider the details.

Still from the film “Spartacus” (1960) showing the crucifixion of the rebels by Rome. We touch on Spartacus in our consideration of the practice of crucifixion. Note, the fate of the historical Spartacus is not known.
Source: No Name Movie Blog

Trouble in the Ranks

It comes as no surprise that the Romans might be facing trouble from their neighbours, but the years 419-418 BCE hold not just trouble without but disagreements between the military tribunes with consular power. How will Rome wrangle their own leaders into line? And will they be able to do it in time to win the day on the battlefield? We delve into the details.

Things to Listen Out For

• The Aequians
• Considerations of the Italic peoples
• What did you say about the Capitol?
• The Spartacan Revolt
• Blasé Romans
• The Tusculums
• The Labicani
• Coriolanus!

Our Players 419 BCE

Military Tribunes with Consular Power

• Agrippa Menenius T. f. Agripp. N. Lanatus (Pat), previously consul in 439
• Publius Lucretius Hosti f. – n. Tricipitinus (Pat)
• Spurius Nautius Sp. f. Sp. n. Rutilus (Pat)
• Gaius Servilius Q. f. C. n. Axilla (Pat), thought to be previously consul in 427

Our Players 418 BCE

Military Tribunes with Consular Power

• Lucius Sergius C. f. C. n. Fidenas (Pat), previously consul in 437, 429; and previously military tribune with consular power in 433, 424
• Marcus Papirius L. f. -. n. Mugillanus (Pat)
• Gaius Servilius Q. f. C. n. Axilla (Pat), previously consul in 427, military tribune with consular power in the previous year 419

Dictator

• Quintus Servilius P. f. Sp. n. Priscus Fidenas (Pat)

Master of the Horse

• Gaius Servilius Q. f. C. n. Axilla (Pat) – upgraded from military tribune with consular power!

Censor

• Lucius Papirius L. f. -. n. Mugillanus (Pat). Previously consul in 427 and military tribune with consular power 422.

Our Sources

• Dr G reads Fasti Capitolini, Fasti Minores (CIL 1(2).1,p 55, no.1), Dionysius of Halicarnassus 5.61; 8.19; 12.6.5-7; Diodorus Siculus 13.2.1; 13.6.7; Frontinus Stratagems 2.8.8
• Dr Rad reads Livy ab Urbe Condita 4.45-46
• Broughton, T. R. S., Patterson, M. L. 1951. The Magistrates of the Roman Republic Volume 1: 509 B.C. – 100 B.C. (The American Philological Association)
• Cornell, T. J. 1995. The Beginnings of Rome: Italy and Rome from the Bronze Age to the Punic Wars (c. 1000-264 BC) (Taylor & Francis)
• Forsythe, G. 2006. A Critical History of Early Rome: From Prehistory to the First Punic War(University of California Press) 
• Ogilvie, R. M. 1965. A Commentary on Livy: Books 1-5 (Clarendon Press). 

Sound Credits

Our music was composed by Bettina Joy de Guzman. Sound effects are courtesy of BBC Beta.

A map showing regions south and east of Rome including a possible location for Labicum – just north east of Tusculum!
Other important sites include Tusculum in the Alban Hills to the south-east of Rome.
Image credits to ColdEel and Ahenobarbus. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Automated Transcript

Lightly edited for clarity!

Dr Rad 0:12
Welcome to The Partial Historians.

Dr G 0:15
We explore all the details of ancient Rome.

Dr Rad 0:20
Everything from political scandals to love affairs, the battles waged, and when citizens turn against each other. I’m Dr. Rad.

Dr G 0:30
And I’m Dr. G. We consider Rome as the Romans saw it by reading different ancient authors and comparing their accounts.

Dr Rad 0:41
Join us as we trace the journey of Rome from the founding of the city.

Dr G 0:56
Hello, and welcome to a brand new episode of The Partial Historians. And I am one of your hosts, Dr. G.

Dr Rad 1:05
And I am your other host Dr Rad. Welcome.

Dr G 1:08
Welcome, welcome one and all, we are tracing Rome’s history from the foundation of the city. And it’s exciting times. It’s been exciting times for a while. It’s always an exciting episode when we return to Rome,

Dr Rad 1:21
I think, I think so. So last time, Dr. G, we were in the midst of 420 BCE.

Dr G 1:28
Ah, it was a great year.

Dr Rad 1:30
It was a great year because we actually got to talk about a woman It has been so long since we mentioned a woman.

Dr G 1:36
We’ve been going through a real dry patch with ladies.

Dr Rad 1:40
Which is not something you want to hear.

Dr G 1:42
No, no as a lady that is not not a great status quo. So we touched on the life and times of the Vestal Virgin Postumia. We did and she got herself into a little bit of trouble for having a sense of humor and a sense of style.

Dr Rad 1:58
I mean, if they’re not a criminal offense, I don’t know what is.

Dr G 2:03
With the danger of live burial on the table. I think she changed her tune and adjusted her behaviour.

Dr Rad 2:09
It seems like she backed down once she realized just how seriously they took this kind of stuff.

Dr G 2:16
Imagine trying to have a personality in ancient Rome, and now…

Dr Rad 2:20
That’s not what being a Vestal’s about.

Dr G 2:22
Ouch.

Dr Rad 2:22
Yeah. Luckily, she did escape live burial. I mean, that was my real concern that she was actually going to be buried alive for her raunchy dressing. And her jokes.

Dr G 2:36
Yeah, tragic times, tragic times. But no, all is safe. And well, Postumia goes on to live. So she’s presumably still alive as we run into the year. That was 419.

Dr Rad 2:48
Yeah, I know. And we’ve also got, obviously a bit of a patrician-plebeian and drama that’s been happening in that we also had the trial of Sempronius.

Dr G 2:55
Yes, well, that’s what happens when you run away from a battle.

Dr Rad 2:58
Well, this is the thing right? Our sources, as we discovered last week, made out like the tribunes were attacking him because they wanted to vent they rage against his family, and they couldn’t vent it against the person who they felt actually deserved it at that point in time, who was allegedly someone arranging fake elections and not allowing the plebeians to get through and so they decided to target the other Sempronius guy Sempronius military general from a few years before, but if you actually think about it, he deserved to be prosecuted. Because he had done a terrible job.

Dr G 3:36
It’s true.

Dr Rad 3:37
Yeah.

Dr G 3:38
Yeah, look 420, what a time.

Dr Rad 3:41
Yeah, it was interesting. I mean, lots of legal action really. So we really need to insert the doo-dum

Dr G 3:49
I see what you did that more. I heard what you did.

Dr Rad 3:54
Anyway, but that sounds so yeah, it was really all about the legal stuff and 420 but now I think we’re probably ready to move into 419 BCE.

Dr G 4:26
It’s 419 BCE

Dr Rad 4:29
Certainly is. Now let me guess, let me guess. You don’t have any material from Dionysius of Halicarnassus?

Dr G 4:39
Oh well on that front, you’d be mistaken. It’s not that I have a lot of sources though. And it’s not like I have a lot of Dionysius of Halicarnassus.

Dr Rad 4:50
Okay.

Dr G 4:51
But let’s start with our main players for this year.

Dr Rad 4:56
Let’s do it. Now. I think very excitingly, we have military tribunes with consular power.

Dr G 5:01
We do, and we’ve got four of them.

Dr Rad 5:04
Ooh.

Dr G 5:04
Let me introduce you to our cast of illustrious gentleman.

Dr Rad 5:08
Please do.

Dr G 5:09
We have Agrippa Menenius Lanatus – previously, apparently, consul in 439, which was a long time ago!

Dr Rad 5:20
Who can remember that long ago that was what five years ago now?

Dr G 5:24
Notable for the issue with Spurius Maelius.

Dr Rad 5:29
Ooo, okay yes, I am remembering this guy now. Yes, of course. How could I forget 439?

Dr G 5:37
Yeah, it was a big year.

Dr Rad 5:38
Yeah.

Dr G 5:38
We also ha