(Besides gelato e un buon caffè)

 

 

Human beings vary greatly from place to place and from one era to another. We differ in our political opinions and institutions, in our religious or anti-religious practices and opinions, in how and on what we spend our money, in what human qualities we admire, in our opinions about the natural world (and even in our opinion about whether a natural world accompanies or replaces a supernatural world), in the kind of art we admire, in our attitudes toward honor, in the way we design and build cities, in the ways we make war and attempt to make peace, in the kind of buildings we build, in our sense of what is pleasant and painful, in the ways we think about sex, love, and families.

 

I hate to do it, but we might simplify by stressing differences in

 

Religion

Including its social effects and the questions it is supposed to answer

Politics

Including its limits, its relation to religion, to class, to outsiders

Ideas about virtue (What qualities make a good human being?)

Including ideas about honor, citizenship, getting rich, pleasure, family, an afterlife or divine rewards, tolerance, charity, sexuality and family life

Art, architecture, and city planning

            Including materials, major subjects or themes, techniques, purposes

 

In regard to these and other such criteria, our three “Romes” differed greatly from each other, and each of them differs from us. In this course, we will do our best to be clear about the character of these differences. In learning how others differ from ourselves, perhaps we will also come to see ourselves in a new perspective.

 

To generalize and simplify again, what we are looking for is information that helps us paint portraits of three types -- or tendencies -- of human being (as well as of culture):

 

            1. The Pagan Roman

            2. The Christian Roman

            2. The Secular Roman

 

If in the process we should become more able to paint a fourth portrait – the modern American – this would be both quite wonderful and very much in accord with my hopes. (As a model, think of Henry James’ famous novel, set in France, The American.)

 

[First caveat: Yes, of course, we will need to refine these categories. Each of these three Romans will come in much more than one variety!

 

Second caveat: There are many other things worth learning about Rome that do not fit these categories, and I certainly do not mean to discourage you from learning them!]