Hi folks! This week, the idea is to choose one of the short readings and talk about some moment in it that struck you as an interesting insight into the Romans. These are stories and laws that the Romans preserved and valued centuries later, so they suggest something about what Romans saw as key to who they were. What stands out to you about what mattered to the author of your reading?

while looking through the twelve tables what I found interested was table 4 which they talk about how if a dreadfully deformed child is born then they shall be quickly killed. this to me shows that the people in Rome think very highly of themselves basically as gods so anything that look different from them or not at their standards should be removed in his eyes to keep the balance of the gods. In the romans eyes they are gods among humans.

The Twelve Tables interested me the most because it describes the Roman laws that could be devastating to the people of Rome if they didn't abide by them. Table eight talks about how a person has to pay a heavy penalty when they injure another person, but when they are found guilty, the person pays a small penalty. The law from table four talks about how a deformed child is killed quickly, which surprised me in learning why a family would do something so harmful to their child for being different from everyone else. This probably shows how Romans saw deformed children as not humans and stated that they should be killed quickly to avoid it affecting other members of the gens. This tale also talks about how an agnate receives the inheritance from a deceased. I wonder if the Fourth Table Law relates to the present day in terms of compensation and inheritance.

"The Rape of Lucretia/ Levy" was the focus of this weeks response, with the change of uncommon results with the fall of the Monarchy due to the Rape of a noblewoman, changing the center of the universe to no longer include a royal family. This shows how in the society of Rome, the perception of a reputation or a family's reputation mattered so much. The idea of what the public's opinion was of you and your family was so impactful that a woman would rather commit suicide as a result of her " honor" being defiled. The true center of a Roman universe was his honor or reputation, showcasing a weirdly arrogant society.

"The Capture of the Sabine Women" explains that: When Rome was first founded, it was a city of men and there was a shortage of women, which was a major problem for its future development. Romulus asked for marriage ties with neighboring countries, but was rejected by all. So Romulus came up with a plan and held a tournament called the Consaria, dedicated to the sea god Neptune, and invited the surrounding tribes. During the festival, Roman young men, at a signal, plundered the girls of neighboring countries, including the Sabines. This infuriated neighboring countries, and led to war, especially with the Sabines. However, the Sabine women who had been plundered summoned courage from their grief at having caused the war, and jumped between the two armies to try to stop the fighting. They tried to stop their fathers and husbands from killing each other, and pleaded that if they were the cause, they should be punished. Their plea put an end to the war, and the Sabines and the Romans were reconciled.

The most impressive point of the text is that the Sabines and the Romans were reconciled after a woman who had been the cause of the war pleaded for help. The author would try to convey that unjust (the plundering of women) brings tragedy, and learn from the history.

One detail that really jumped out at me in Livy's "The Rape of Lucretia" is how Lucretia reacts after the assault: even though she is a victim, she insists that she must die to preserve her honor. This struck me as both powerful and deeply unsettling. It shows that, in Roman culture, personal virtue and family reputation were valued so highly that even an innocent woman felt obligated to sacrifice herself to maintain them. I think Livy is using Lucretia’s story to communicate a few important ideas about how Romans saw themselves. Livy seems to be suggesting that Rome’s greatness is built on a deep commitment to personal virtue, justice, and collective action against injustice. One thing I would like to find out more about is how much of Lucretia’s story was based on actual history versus myth-making. Was Livy recording a real event, or was this more of a legendary story meant to teach Roman citizens about their values?

I chose to read "The Rape of Lucretia" document for this weeks response. I find it fascinating that it was a rape that made the Romans abolish Monarchy. The narrative of men actually supporting the woman that has been assaulted is refreshing. The part that really jumped out to me was Lucretia's suicide, it is framed as a heroic act by Lucretia. To not bring dishonor to her family even though her father and husband promised to punish the accuser. Lucretia's suicide made her a martyr. She became a symbol of strength. I believe the author was trying to show the strength of Rome. It's not all the wars they won or their impressive army but the resilience of their people, and the sacrifice they are willing to make for Rome. A woman's strength is the backbone of Rome.

One of the sections which surprised me most was how Romulus used a religious festival as a pretext for deception and kidnapping of the Sabine women. I was surprised at how the ancient Romans justified acts of violence or deception as being necessary for the furtherance and continuation of their civilization. I was amazed at how casually such a serious breach of faith was rationalized as a clever piece of politics. My impression is that Livy was trying to say that the founding of Rome was not just heroism but deceit

I Chose "The Capture of the Sabine Women." What stood out to me about this text was the focus on the women of Rome. Despite it being a story about the beginnings of Rome, it also feels like a demonstration of what women represent to Roman society. It's clear that women were valued not only for their body but for their voice and opinion as it was the Sabine turned Roman wife's who defused the war between the neighbors. The text at the same time bolsters what it means to be a Roman male by Romulus doing whatever it takes to ensure the safety and future of his people. The story writer had thought this story in order to rally both men and women to what it means to be Roman.

I chose “the rape of Lucretia” what stood out to me is how Romans took honor. It really shows how their values shaped them. For example, Lucretia didn’t do anything wrong, but she still felt like her life/ reputation was ruined. This just shows how Romans liked to be seen as honorable and it was important the author wanted to show that Roman values were honesty, loyalty, and protecting their reputation no matter what.

As I read the story, of the rape of Lucretia, what stood out to me was the emphasis placed on a woman's virtue. I suppose that's what makes this short story all the more devastating. Anyone can suffer at the hand of sexual assault, feel shame and guilt for it, but because the emphasis was placed on the idea that Lucretia was a virtuous woman her violation was a devastating turning point in Roman history. And it wasn't as though it was a man who had raped her, it was a Prince. If he could rape a virtuous woman and get away with it, what else can he do? It was the straw that broke the camel's back so to speak. Although we're supposed to pick one story, I can't help but tie this story into the capture of the Sabine women. Both these stories to me, emphasize an important role women played that often times resulted in a turning point for Roman history, interwoven in violence, and specifically violence towards women.

One of the passages that struck me most was how Romulus used a religious festival as a pretext for deceiving and kidnapping the Sabine women. It struck me because it shows how the ancient Romans justified acts of violence or deceit as being indispensable to the success and survival of their civilization. I was shocked at how casually such a serious betrayal was explained as a clever political act. I think that Livy was trying to say that the founding of Rome was not just glory and heroism, but also deceit, violence, and ambition.

When I read through The Twelve Tables, the one thing that immediately caught my attention was the law that states that if a debtor is unable to pay, the debtor can be physically detained and even sold into bondage after a period of time. This made me think because it reflects the harsh and merciless stance of Roman law towards one who was financially struggling. It was surprising to notice how individual freedom could completely be lost simply due to debt, indicative of a much more rigid society than what we experience currently.

I chose “The Rape of Lucretia”. Rome went from a small settlement to a kingdom. The author shows us how Rome’s morals and religions shaped the beginning of their kingdom. The story portrays Lucretia as a symbol of Roman virtue.There was a moral decline in the Tarquin dynasty so the story highlights her chastity. Her suicide was seen as a means to protect her honor and prevent the shame of being dishonored.

I chose The Rape of Lucretia by Livy. One part that jumped out to me was how Lucretia, even though she wasn’t at fault, felt she had to take her own life to protect her honor. It surprised me how deeply tied personal virtue was to Roman identity. I think Livy wanted to show that Romans valued honor above life itself, and that this strong sense of morality fueled big changes, like the founding of the Republic. I wonder how other ancient cultures viewed honor compared to Rome.