How to live morally (according to the Romans)

‘Make America Great Again!’ cries Donald Trump. ‘Do Britain Down Again!’ (DOBRIDA!) screech our academic historical institutions. That was not the Roman way.

In ad 31, Valerius Maximus completed his nine books of Memorable Deeds and Sayings of the Roman world. They were enormously popular and became a sort of handbook of Roman moral standards for imitation.

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While there were sections that castigated cruel, greedy, treacherous Romans who did not live up to the proper standards, most of the 91 chapter headings concentrate on those men and women who exhibited, e.g. endurance, moderation, generosity, compassion, humility, a capacity for friendship, respect for gods, the ability to face changes of fortune, public spirit, determination and so on.

For example, Maevius, a centurion of Augustus, had fought superbly against Marc Antony but was captured in an ambush. Asked what should be done with him, he said: ‘Tell them to put me to death. Neither the favour of sparing my life nor the punishment of ending it could induce me to stop being a soldier of Augustus or to start being yours.’

Valerius also provided examples from other cultures, e.g. the Spartan king Agesilaus: ‘When he heard people being critical or complimentary he considered it just as important to establish the characters of those talking as all those being talked about. When asked which of the two virtues was finer, courage or justice, he declared courage had no value if justice too was not in evidence, but if everyone were to be just, no one would need courage.’

As Valerius said: ‘It was the character of men and women that counted in our state… Each man strove to advance his country, not his private affairs, and preferred to be a poor man in a rich empire rather than a rich man in a poor one.