Eva Anagnostou-Laoutides

Ancient Ritual and the Search for Arcadia: From Vergil to Poussin

Introduction In his Eclogues, a collection of ten poems that seemingly praises the felicitous lives of Roman shepherds, Vergil addressed some of the most pressing issues of his day, focusing on the civil wars that dealt a soaring wound to the Romans of his generation, and the hope for reconciliation that was rising through the political vision of Augustus. His pastoral images reflecting on human nature and progress are ruled by primitivism and allude to a much desired, yet unachievable past. Vergil specifies the locus of this ideal pastoral life, which originates in Hesiod and was revived many centuries later in the bucolic verses of Theocritus, as Arcadia. The first part of this paper examines the ideological nexus of Arcadia in antiquity and its ability to appeal to the Romans of the first century BCE. I argue that Arcadia, the original locus to have experienced the Golden Age, was transferred by Vergil to contemporary Roman countryside and invested with ritual and philosophical notions that actually render the Arcadian experience

Luxuria and Homosexuality in Suetonius, Augustine, and Aquinas

The article discusses Suetonius and the Stoics as two independent yet converging paradigms which shaped notions of morality and vice in late antiquity and influenced Augustine and his understanding of the vitium sodomiticum as luxury. Aquinas followed his definition with the implication that on this occasion he parted ways with his usual Aristotelian model, which appears much more lenient in discussing the vice of homosexuality.

THE SUICIDES OF OTHO AND NERO IN SUETONIUS

Both Otho and Nero are usually regarded as ‘bad’ emperors in the historical record, and their conduct is often assimilated. Yet Suetonius’ treatment of their suicides, while cleverly approximating the two events, nevertheless shows clear differences. While Nero appears weak and without resolve, Otho bravely shrugs off his supposed effeminacy and dies a true Roman emperor, more so since his death was intended to preserve the lives of his fellow citizens. Suetonius deliberately composed Otho’s exitus scene in such a way as to leave the reader with a positive impression of the emperor, simultaneously to the detriment of Nero.

The Silver Triton : Suetonius Claud. 21.6.13–16

This article assesses the imperial Roman technological options and cultural impetus for constructing and displaying an automaton Triton. Suetonius reports that such a figure announced the commencement of a staged sea battle organised by Emperor Claudius to entertain the Roman citizens in 52 CE. This automaton, whose feasibility we assess, fits neatly as an application of the pneumatic techniques summarised by Heron of Alexandria, who was probably alive at the time. By drawing attention to this little discussed passage of Suetonius, our article corroborates the idea that these techniques were useful – here contributing to the “media-image” and audio-visual culture of Claudius’ imperial agenda – and that their wondrous effects provided an intellectual bridge between their practical utility and their ability to contribute to the philosophy of science and technology.

The Silver Triton

This article assesses the imperial Roman technological options and cultural impetus for constructing and displaying an automaton Triton. Suetonius reports that such a figure announced the commencement of a staged sea battle organised by Emperor Claudius to entertain the Roman citizens in 52 CE. This automaton, whose feasibility we assess, fits neatly as an application of the pneumatic techniques summarised by Heron of Alexandria, who was probably alive at the time. By drawing attention to this little discussed passage of Suetonius, our article corroborates the idea that these techniques were useful – here contributing to the “media-image” and audio-visual culture of Claudius’ imperial agenda – and that their wondrous effects provided an intellectual bridge between their practical utility and their ability to contribute to the philosophy of science and technology.

Apollonius Rhodius, Cyzicus, and the Near East

The article explores some ritual nuances in Books 1 and 4 of Apollonius Rhodius’ Argonautica. We argue that the experience of the Argonauts at Cyzicus in Book 1 recalls initiation rites in mystery cults, most prominently that of Cybele. Furthermore, Apollonius seems to have been familiar with Jewish cultic traditions and has overlaid his narration with patterns derived from the Jewish Exodus. In particular, the notion of reclaiming one’s fatherland, constantly reiterated in Exodus, is utilised by Apollonius in Book 4 in relation to Cyrene, which will, as Euphemus relates, eventually be restored to the Ptolemies (lines 1730-54). Awareness of the rich nexus of cultures and cults that characterises the Argonautica is crucial to explaining the peculiar customs described by Apollonius in Book 1 and to appreciating the historical context of the work and its purposes, which are highlighted in Book 4.