CLASS 20B Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Fannia, Senecio, Lucius Arruntius Camillus Scribonianus
Pliny on Women (107 BC)
- Leading orator in Rome at the end of the 1st century
- Consul in 100 AD
- Literary legacy: ten volumes of letters that cast a light on the world of a senator in
Trajanic Rome
- Memorializes bravery of Fannia & her grandmother Arria
Arria
- Arria was the wife of a leader of a rebellion against the emperor Claudius in AD 42
- Famed for having set the example of suicide for her husband
- Lied to her ill husband about their son’s death
- Played it off as though their son was still alive
- She would put up a front until she left the room to let grief wash over her
- After crying she would compose herself and return as though everything was fine
- Did this even when there was no reward for stifling her tears & hiding her grief
- At the time of the revolt against Claudius Arria’s husband Paetus joined
- Brought back as a prisoner to Rome
- Arria begged the soldiers to take her with him
- Said that he is a senator of consular rank so he must be allowed
someone to serve his meals, dress him, & put on his shoes
- Request was denied so she sailed along the great ship in a tiny boat
- Came before the wife of Scribonianus she says
- “Am I to listen to you, who could go on living after Scribonianus died in your
arms?”
- Proves her determination to die with her husband was not a sudden impulse
- Anxiety to family b/c she told her son-in-law that if her daughter lived a long
happy life with him she would want her daughter to die with him as well
- Runs into a wall & tries to kill herself but she becomes conscious again & says “I told
you that I should find a hard way to die if you denied me an easy one”
Fannia
- She is ill after voluntarily nursing one of the Vestal Virgins
- Followed her husband twice into exile
- Third time was banished on his account
- Senecio was on trial for having written a life of Helvidius at Fannia’s request
- Mettius Carus demanded if it was true & she replied “yes”
- Told Senate she lent Senecio her husband’s diaries
- Pliny felt like he didn’t give them an adequate return & doesn’t have enough time to pay
his debt
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Document Summary
Leading orator in rome at the end of the 1st century. Literary legacy: ten volumes of letters that cast a light on the world of a senator in. Memorializes bravery of fannia & her grandmother arria. Arria was the wife of a leader of a rebellion against the emperor claudius in ad 42. Famed for having set the example of suicide for her husband. Lied to her ill husband about their son"s death. Played it off as though their son was still alive. She would put up a front until she left the room to let grief wash over her. After crying she would compose herself and return as though everything was fine. Did this even when there was no reward for stifling her tears & hiding her grief. At the time of the revolt against claudius arria"s husband paetus joined. Brought back as a prisoner to rome. Arria begged the soldiers to take her with him.
