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Quincy Standage

Dr. Wolbrink

HIST 110

26 April 2020

Snakes, Elephants, and Tigers, Oh My: Suetonius’s History of Roman Entertainment

The Roman Empire’s legacy of larger-than-life personalities, entertainment, theatre, and

architectural sites has left an indelible imprint on the history of humanity. The ruling Caesar

controlled the social and political life of diverse populations reaching across the Mediterranean.

Caesars including Julius and Augustus focused on providing entertainment to the public while

others such as Tiberius and Caligula minimized it. At the height of the Roman Empire, theatre in

multiple languages rang out across Rome among a developing entertainment sector and ancient

Roman architecture engaging large sectors of the population. Several Caesars were known to

display exotic animals including serpents, rhinoceros, elephants, and tigers. Additionally,

marginalized individuals were often included in theatre, sporting events, and other public events

or gatherings. The records of these feats of entertainment survive through the work of Gaius

Suetonius Tranquillus’ book The Twelve Caesars (Class PowerPoint). As an imperial secretary

and archivist, Suetonius, is lauded for his detailed accounts of the social, political, and cultural

life of Romans under the Caesars (Class PowerPoint). Despite writing his historical account after

the rule of the Roman Caesars, Suetonius masterfully pieces together the opinions of the Caesars

on politics and culture along with the thoughts of advisors and family members closest to them.

Working chronologically, Suetonius constructs the world of the ancient Romans through the lens

of entertainment, public works, and the growth of power among the Caesars aided by their

provision of entertainment to the public.

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In the eyes of Suetonius, the Caesars Julius and Augustus were the most involved in

developing and advocating for events of entertainment and public spectacle. Suetonius described

the development of entertainment under Julius as “public shows of a great variety” (J.C., no. 39).

Julius is also described as the founder of regular large public events. From the beginnings of

public events in the Roman Empire, Augustus dramatically increased the number of athletic and

gladiatorial contests. Suetonius wrote in regard to Augustus’s public shows that “no one before

had ever provided so many, so different, or such splendid public shows” (A., no. 43). Despite the

increase in public events, Augustus did impose more social rules on spectators and limited the

agency of women, differently than Julius who engaged with more relaxed restrictions. These

restrictions took the form of reserving seats in the Colosseum for Senators and eventually limited

what events women could attend, where they could sit, and what clothing was acceptable to wear

to the theatre (S., A., no. 44). Augustus purposefully exempted the Vestal Virgins from the most

restrictive rules targeting women (S., A., no. 44). The differences in social policies related to

public events and entertainment between Julius and Augustus dynamically changed the way in

which different groups could engage in the public sphere, particularly informing the lives of

women, children, and slaves.

Julius primarily funded theatre, gladiatorial contests, athletic competitions, mock naval

battles, wild beast hunts, and the Troy Games. Each of these events were displayed in the public

eye, often inviting crowds of thousands of spectators from across the Roman Empire. Spectators

to the multi-day athletic competitions often lined the roads and pitched tents to attend the events

(S., J.C., no. 39). The gathering of large spectators led to issues related to movement around the

arenas and deaths related to trampling, ultimately taking the lives of two senators (S., J.C., no.

39). The mass crowds congregated around centralized arenas such as the Campus Martius, the
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Colosseum, or the artificial lake created in the Lesser Codeta demonstrating a gathering of

individuals engaged in Roman culture. Monumental architecture such as the Colosseum and

Campus Martius were staples to the Roman Empires events, in particular the usage of

monumental gladiatorial contests, athletic competitions, and the Troy Games (S., J.C., no. 39).

Athletic competitions such as the Troy Games were commonly held in the Campus Martius, a

tradition that continued into the ruling of Augustus. The Colosseum was initially used for

gladiatorial contest, chariot races, and wild beast hunts. Additionally, the artificial lake in Lesser

Codeta was were mock naval battles were held, often engaging different types of ships from

cultures across the Mediterranean. Common ships used included biremes, triremes, and

quadriremes built by Trian and Egyptian competitors (S., J.C., no. 39). These competitions

brought the competitive spirit of Roman athletes to a communal event and provided a forum for

public participation in Rome’s budding warfare culture.

The importance of bravery, honor, and military strength were present particularly in wild

beast hunts instituted by Julius Caesar. The wild beast hunts took place for five consecutive days

and were instituted as a form of public entertainment (S., J.C., no. 38). The five-day event drew

large crowds and concluded with an epic battle between two armies which consisted of 530

combatants plus twenty elephants (S., J.C., no. 39). In addition to the wild beast hunts, chariot

racing also demonstrated the Roman importance of an individual’s military prowess, in which

both men and women engaged in. Women could own chariots and therefore be involved in the

stakes and competitions. At the Circus Maximus arena, chariot races could draw up to 250,000

spectators, bringing women into the public eye (“How Magic Spells Played a Big Role in Rome's

Chariot Races”). At the archaeological site of Carnumtum there is evidence that women

participated in gladiator schools, where criminals, slaves, and other social outcasts trained to
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fight in gladiatorial competitions (Lidz & Locatelli). Between 27 BCE and 476 CE women

participated in gladiator schools and “willing risked their legal and social standing by taking part

in the sport” (Lidz & Locatelli). The agency afforded to women during the reign of Julius Caesar

is essential to understanding the importance of women’s public participation in popular Roman

events, even if the events did not meet the Roman social standard for women as an obedient

homemaker.

A remarkable shift in imperial Roman policy towards social and cultural norms is

demonstrated by Suetonius’s emphasis on Augustus’s extravagance. Although Julius Caesar was

well known for his extravagant wealth and vanity, Suetonius highlights that Augustus held more

events of public entertainment than any previous Caesar. Augustus made numerous changes

including abolishing the Troy Games, when the Senate persuaded him that it was too dangerous

because of numerous injuries that occurred (S., A., no. 43). Restrictions were placed on children,

women, and those of the equites class. Restrictions on children included that boys who had not

shaven their first beard were not allowed to run at the Lupercalia (S., A., no. 31). Additionally,

Suetonius asserts that “at the Saecular Games no young people might attend a night performance

unless accompanied by an adult relative” (A., no. 31). These policies were intended to protect

children. Women were limited by only being allowed to sit in the back of the stadium for

gladiatorial shows. They were also not allowed to attend athletic contests. Despite these rules,

Vestal Virgins, were exempt from these decrees as Augustus viewed their college favorably. The

equites class, prior to senatorial decree, starred in theatrical performances and gladiatorial shows

(S., A., no. 43). The Senate had concerns about families of equites being tarnished and therefore

issued a decree stating “no person of good family appeared in any show, with the exception of a

young man named Lycius: he was a dwarf” (S., A., no. 43). Suetonius presents these rules as an
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impartial spectator, attempting to understand the way in which Roman culture and entertainment

functioned under the Caesars.

Augustus amended previous Roman regulations surrounding entertainment by changing

the way in which citizens were seated for a public event. Suetonius hails this law as successful in

limiting the issues of stampeding and subsequent deaths by trampling (A., no. 43). Measures for

arranged seating at theatrical performances included the separation of civilians and soldiers and

preferential seating given to married men, young boys, and tutors (S., A., no. 44). Suetonius also

emphasizes that senators were required to have the front bench reserved at every public

performance (A., no. 44). An important distinction between the policies of seating at public

performances between Julius and Augustus made by Suetonius includes “whereas men and

women had hitherto always sat together, Augustus confined women to the back rows even at

gladiatorial shows; the only ones exempt from this rule were the Vestal Virgins, for whom

separate accommodation was provided facing the praetor’s tribunal” (A., no. 44). Additionally,

Augustus had concerns of his image being compared to the vanity of Julius, Suetonius describes

Augustus as “once in his seat, […] he watched the proceedings intently, either to avoid the bad

reputation earned by Julius Caesar for reading or answering letters and petitions during such

performances, or just to enjoy the fun, as he frankly admitted doing” (A., no. 45). Augustus’s

shift away from the policies of Julius demonstrates an acknowledgment of the importance of the

Caesar being interested in the public and influencing the Roman citizens through entertainment.

In addition to the social changes, animals were frequently used as symbols of power and

made public appearances. The use of elephants in the Troy Games demonstrates a connection of

employing elephants for warfare, creating a spectacle of Roman power (S., J.C., no. 39). This is

further cultivated by the Caesars use of exotic animals to demonstrate the power of the Caesar.
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Not all Roman Caesars employed this tactic, whereas Julius and Augustus were known to show

animals to the public, Suetonius makes no mention of Tiberius and Caligula displaying animals

to the Roman public. Scholar Ralph Mathisen asserts that displays of power were interwoven in

the sponsorship of Roman entertainment, including that “Augustus took control of who

sponsored popular entertainments, many of which he underwrote himself, so as to prevent

senators from using the sponsorship of games to gain popularity, as had been done during the

Republic by his own adoptive father” (Mathisen 401). This argument from Mathisen broadly

applies to the variety of events sponsored by Augustus, including the showing of exotic animals.

Exotics often invoke a sense of wonder and curiosity in addition to fear and power. One of the

animals shown by Augustus was described by Suetonius as a 75-foot-long serpent (A., no. 43).

This rare creature was a novelty to the Roman people and provided a sense of wonder and

spectacle surrounding the power of the Roman Empire, and by default, the Caesar.

The historical record and insight provided by Suetonius is invaluable to understanding the

way in which the Caesars engaged with the public through theatre performances, contests of

athleticism and military strength, and exotic animals. The social component to Roman

entertainment is equally important in understanding who could fully engaged with public

spectacles and congregations. Male of-age Roman citizens could attend public events with little

restrictions, whereas Roman women were unable to attend athletic events and often were

relegated to the back rows of gladiatorial displays. Children were restricted in their ability to

attend events by time of day and restrictions on at what age they could compete in athletic

events. Additionally, the slave population of Rome were often used and abused in Roman

entertainment, serving dangerous positions, or at times being put through gladiatorial school to

fight in the arena (Lidz & Locatelli). The Roman Empire’s world of entertainment was highly
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complex and developed primarily under the policies of Caesars Julius and Augustus as an

important way to increase their influence and power in Rome.

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Works Cited

Class PowerPoint. Moodle.

Franz Lidz, Luca Locatelli. “The Discovery of a Roman Gladiator School Brings the Fame

Fighters Back to Life.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 1 July 2016,

www.smithsonianmag.com/history/discovery-roman-gladiator-school-brings-famed-fighters-

to-life-180959489/.

“How Magic Spells Played a Big Role in Rome's Chariot Races.” Smithsonian Channel,

Smithsonian, www.smithsonianchannel.com/videos/how-magic-spells-played-a-big-role-in-

romes-chariot-races/66967?auto=true.

Mathisen, Ralph W. Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations: From Prehistory to 640 CE. 2nd ed.

Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015.

Suetonius. The Twelve Caesars. Translated by Robert Graves. Revised by James Rives. Penguin

Classics, 2007.