KITCHENS AND DINING ROOMS AT POMPEII ... - Get a Free Blog

public as adjuncts to the state. 134 Two such public feasts were held at the funerals of two Roman
nobles, P. Licinius Crassus and the younger Scipio Africanus in the years 183 and 129 B.C.,
respectively. 135 Trimalchio's wishful thinking for this sort of public distinction is perhaps why
he orders a public feast to be carved on his own funeral monument. He desires a permanent
record of an elite honor he can never have in his own lifetime. 136 The elite, as elected officials,
were the same people responsible for the operation of state-sponsored feasts. Cicero complains
that the aediles, in charge of public entertainment, were sponsoring overly extravagant affairs in
order to win public support in their future bids for higher office. 137
The periodic munificence of the elite in public banquets and the public dole can be seen
as having served in part as a social safety valve; the plebs were tossed a bone for the price of their
vote. The allegiance of the plebs became more important during the Empire, as the emperor took
over public feasting in Rome and limited the banquets organized by other elites. 138 But the
relationship between elites and plebs was not completely cynical. Harmony was as important as
appeasement when public feasts brought social and communal structures into the open:
"More than was the case in most Hellenistic cities, public feasting in Rome
tended to emphasize the importance of the preservation of status distinctions,
and the special honor of the individual responsible for the provision of the meal,
as well as the creation of the sense of a harmonious community." 139
At a public feast held by Domitian, Statius saw women and citizens of all ranks participating, but
the Emperor was clearly marked out as a figure of majesty presiding over an event that promoted
social harmony while reinforcing social stratification. 140 At another feast, the baskets distributed
134 The phenomenon of euergetism; see Veyne 1990, 220-221.
135 P. Licinius Crassus: A public distribution of meat was followed by gladitorial funeral games and a
public feast set up on couches in the Forum. Unfortunately, a rain storm compelled people to erect tents
over their dining areas (Liv. 39.46.3). The Younger Scipio Africanus: The general's nephew Tubero honored
the deceased's Stoicism by placing rough goat skins on the expensive Punic couches, and furnishing plain
Samian crockery (Cic. Mur. 75; V. Max.7.5.1). The public was disappointed at the cheap production, voting
against Tubero in the subsequent election for praetor, and causing Cicero to comment (Mur. 76): "The
Roman people loathe public luxury, but they love public splendour. They do not like extravagant banquets
but much less do they like shabbiness and meanness; they take into account the variety of obligations and
circumstances and recognize the alternation of work and pleasure."; Odit populus Romanus privatam luxuriam,
publicam magnificentiam diligit; non amat profusas epulas, sordis et inhumanitatem multo minus; distinguit rationem
officiorum ac temporum, vicissitudinem laboris ac voluptatis. (Loeb text and translation).
136 Petr. 71.10-11.
137 Cic. Off. 2.16.55-57; see Purcell 1994, 673-688 for elite-plebs tension and balance in the Republic.
138 Veyne 1990, 389-390; Augustus began limiting public banquets (D.C. 44.2).
139 Fisher 1988, 1204. See also D'Arms 1984, 338-344 and Goddard 69-71.
140 D'Arms 1990, 308-310, quoting Stat. Silv. 1.6, 4.2 & Mart. 8.50; see also Gowers 1993, 212.
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