The
The Music of Ancient Rome
Hydraulis
with the
Cornu
The music of ancient
Rome was, like many other
aspects of their culture,
highly influenced by Greece.
Although we obviously do
The Cornu
not have physical
recordings of this music,
we can tell by the types of Plucked
instruments used, and the instruments were
pieces of written music more common in
that have been popular music.
deciphered, that Roman Instruments such
music was mostly as the lyre an early
monophonic (not harp was common
harmonic) and based on a for serious
complex system of musicians;
Greek scales however,
called modes, instruments like
Blown
these same the lute (resembling a guitar)
instruments such as the
modes are and the kithara (above)
“tuba” (which was
still used which is a larger form of the
unlike our modern
today. lute, were more common
tuba) had their routes
for household use.
in the military. The
tuba- a straight,
Although not as
cylindrical, valveless
common as blown or
instrument- was used
plucked instruments,
to communicate orders
organs were also apparent
to the legions using a
during ancient Rome. The
series of bugle calls.
hydraulis was an extremely
complex organ that used
The cornu (left) has
water pressure to force air
characteristics similar
through a series of pipes.
to that of the modern
french horn and was
Percussive instruments
also used in military
consisted mainly of hinged
use.
“clapper” devices, drums,
and rattles. Percussion was
The tibiae, (right)
used for entertainment,
which resembles a
battle and religious
bassoon, and the
ceremonies.
askaules (a bagpipe)
represent the few
blown instruments not
used for military
purposes.