Download Roman Morality ppt

The Roman Way
Morality and Honour
Republican Morality
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Unlike later Christians, Romans did not look to religion to make them “good”
Morality was conditioned by respect to authority
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The family
The state
Bravery and honour to Rome and family were pivotal
Stories of Consuls who killed their sons for dishonoring Rome were upheld as
exemplars.
At the end of the Republican Period, some Patricians began to lament the loss
of old values.
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Patricians like Cato the Elder saw the softening of values due to Rome’s
success.
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The acquisition of territory was creating wealth and promoting leisure
Cato lived simply, laboured on his land and resented the adoption of Greek
values.
The Greek Influence
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By the time Caesar Augustus took power, many wealthy Romans had adopted
Greek values and lifestyles.
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He preached against this to no avail
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Going Greek was more fun
Over time wealthy Roman and even the emperor adopted
Eastern ideas of sovereignty and privilege
 Emperors are declared gods and are elevated above
reproach - Caesar and Augustus after their death
 Romans explored Persian, Egyptian religions
 Christians later unify segments of society against this
aspect.
Stoicism
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Was a belief system inherited from the Greeks.
The Romans upheld it as an ideal code of behaviour
Basic Ideas
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Man is irrational or emotional by nature
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In Roman society it meant that one accepted what they could change and what
they could not.
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Allowed for self determination while still existed in a world of “fate”
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To be of virtue (character trait or quality valued as being good), one has to use
logic and reason to eliminate emotions from your decisions.
Is often regarded as meaning cold or indifferent
"Freedom is secured not by the fulfilling of one's desires, but by the removal of
desire." (Epictetus)
"Where is the good? In the will. Where is the evil? In the will. Where is neither of
them? In those things which are independent of the will." (Epictetus)
Became a kind of code in which wealthy Romans tried to exemplify
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The father who kills his son: is an example where reason and logic are applied
over emotion.
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"The point is, not how long you live, but how nobly you live." (Seneca the
Younger)