La civiltà dei barbari e le barbarie dei Romani | Imma Eramo | TEDxBisceglie

The Roman Empire's Civilizing Mission

• The Roman Empire's mission was to govern the people with imperium, command, and government, and to impose peace, norms, and customs on them, as stated in the phrase "Tu reggere imperio populos" (10s).
• The Romans believed their mission was to have pity on the subdued and to defeat the proud, as expressed in the phrase "parcere subiectis et debellare superbos" (1m3s).
• This phrase, spoken by Anchise to his son Enea in the Aeneid, is a synthesis of the Romans' belief in their civilizing mission, which they thought was given to them directly by the gods (2m38s).
• The Roman Empire was seen as a colossus that ruled the people with its command, gave norms to peace, had pity on the subdued, and defeated the proud (3m1s).
• According to Virgil, the Roman Empire's mission was to establish order among all people, and this order was its own (3m35s).
• Pliny the Elder also believed in Rome's civilizing mission, stating that Rome was chosen by the gods to unify empires, make customs sweeter, and spread the Latin language, which became an element of unification (4m2s).
• Pliny the Elder saw Rome as a land chosen by the gods to make the sky more splendid, to unify different empires, and to make the customs of the dispersed empires sweeter (4m22s).
• The Latin language played a key role in Rome's civilizing mission, as it allowed different languages to communicate with each other and became a unifying element (4m57s).
• Pliny the Elder concluded that Rome was chosen to give humanity to man and to become the sole homeland of all peoples in the world (5m23s).
• Many, including Virgil and Pliny the Elder, believed in Rome's civilizing mission, and this belief has been passed down through the centuries (5m39s).
• The Roman Empire had a mission to bring all people under its dominion, which was seen as an expression of civilization, with the goal of reducing everything to a single entity, as stated by the classicists "Red ad unum" (6m36s).

The Eastern Roman Empire and the Huns

• In 449 AD, the Roman Empire was no longer the same, it had become the Eastern Roman Empire, and Rome was no longer the city of Lazio, but rather Nea Roma, or Constantinople, on the Bosphorus (7m38s).
• An ambassador and historian named Prisco, from Panion, was sent on a mission to the Empire of the Huns, along with other colleagues, to meet with the famous Attila, who was considered the "flagello di Dio" or the scourge of God (8m23s).
• Prisco and the other ambassadors traveled to the Empire of the Huns, which was unfamiliar to them, and they got disoriented because they didn't know the places and the laws of astronomy seemed to be overturned (9m22s).
• Despite the initial feeling of estrangement, the embassy proceeded in a somewhat arrogant manner, as the ambassadors, including Prisco, felt they were on a mission to civilize the others, whom they considered barbarians (9m57s).
• During their journey, the ambassadors were invited to dinner by a local notable, a Hun named Edeco, and were treated with honors, but an unpleasant episode occurred when one of the ambassadors, an interpreter named Vigilas, made a comment during a toast, saying that one cannot compare a man to a god, referring to Attila and the Roman Emperor Theodosius (11m24s).
• Attila, who had learned about the incident, treated the ambassadors severely and reprimanded Vigilas for his comment, showing that despite being considered a ruthless leader, he was also a skilled politician who knew how to treat others (12m8s).
• The Romans did not present themselves well, as they were considered untrustworthy, especially when it came to the number of informants (12m34s).

Prisco's Encounter with the Greek Barbarian

• Prisco, a Roman chronicler, was tasked with visiting Onegesius, a high-ranking Hun, who was second in importance only to Attila (12m51s).
• While waiting to be received by Onegesius, Prisco encountered a barbarian who greeted him in Greek, which surprised Prisco as he believed barbarians did not speak Greek (13m21s).
• The barbarian explained that he was actually a Greek-born merchant who had settled in Viminacium (modern-day Serbia) and married a wealthy woman, but was later taken prisoner by the Huns (14m49s).
• According to the barbarian, among the Huns, the wealthiest prisoners became slaves to the most important nobles, and he had become a slave to Onegesius, but was later granted freedom after performing well in battle and giving his spoils to Onegesius (15m29s).
• The barbarian chose to remain in Viminacium, married a barbarian woman, and had children, stating that his situation was much better than it had been in the past (16m17s).
• The barbarian also explained that among the barbarians, life was good after the war, as everyone was content with what they had, and no one was bothered or molested, which was different from the Roman way of life (16m34s).
• In contrast, the barbarian noted that Romans often died in war due to poor leadership and that in times of peace, life in Rome was also difficult because the law was not applied equally to all (17m9s).
• In ancient Rome, wealth played a significant role in the justice system, as the rich could afford to navigate the lengthy and complex process, while the poor often did not live to see the outcome of their trials due to the slow pace of the courts (17m22s).

Debate on Roman Justice and Civilization

• Prisco, a Roman, was engaged in a debate with a barbarian who criticized the Roman justice system, prompting Prisco to defend the values of Roman civilization (17m39s).
• Prisco argued that the Roman Constitution, founded by their ancestors, was beautiful and emphasized the importance of justice and law, with various roles in society, including custodians of the law, soldiers, farmers, lawyers, and judges (18m4s).
• He acknowledged that these individuals were paid for their services, but argued that it was necessary to compensate them for their expertise and professionalism (18m34s).
• Prisco also addressed the issue of lengthy trials in Rome, stating that the certainty of the law and the desire for accuracy were the primary reasons for the slow pace of the justice system (18m59s).
• Despite Prisco's defense of Roman civilization, the barbarian was unmoved and wept, suggesting that the reality of Roman society did not live up to its ideals (19m21s).

Reflections on Civilization and Barbarism

• The story raises questions about the nature of civilization and barbarism, and whether these labels are fixed or can be applied to different groups depending on the circumstances (19m47s).
• The conclusion of the story leaves the listener with a sense of doubt, wondering whether the Romans were always civilized and the barbarians always barbaric, or if these roles could be reversed (20m1s).