Who would throw dinner parties meant to scare the daylights out of their guests? Some emperors in ancient Rome would!

Question

The traditional Roman banquet wasn't just a party. It was a power move for Roman emperors. Banquets gave them an opportunity to show off. At a banquet, emperors could treat their friends with fabulous food from across the empire. They could also keep an eye on their enemies. Some emperors were exceedingly distrustful. Worried about any hint of disloyalty, these rulers developed such fear that, historians say, they executed anyone suspected of turning against them. Even members of their own families wouldn't be spared. And no evidence of betrayal was ever needed.

No Joke

One example is Emperor Caligula, who ruled from 37 to 41 CE. Scholars describe Caligula as moody and unpredictable. He once killed a man and then forced the man's father to eat dinner with him the same day. The father feared Caligula might kill him or his other son. But all he could do was put on a brave face. The man had to chat and chuckle with the emperor through the meal.

During some of Caligula's infamous banquets, he would burst out laughing. When his dinner guests asked why, he would tell them how funny it was that he could have any of them executed at any time.

Harmless Prank or Death Threat?

Domitian served as a Roman emperor from 81 to 96 CE. This ruler became notorious for his reign of terror. He even forced his niece into exile and executed his nephew. Scholars note that Domitian was so on edge all the time that he lined his walls with rocks polished to a mirror sheen so that he could watch his back as he walked down the hallway.

One evening, Domitian invited some senators over for a dinner party. When his guests arrived, they were escorted into a banquet hall painted black from floor to ceiling. They found tombstones at their seats. The tombstones were engraved with their names. Then it was time to eat. The guests were served a meal traditionally intended to honor the dead.

Fortunately, historical records show that all the dinner guests left the party alive. So, was Domitian's dinner party simply a playful prank? Or was it an unspoken warning for his guests to watch their backs? No one knows for sure.

Deathly Flora and Fauna

Emperor Elagabalus ruled from 218 to 222 CE. He's associated with a deadly dinner party, although scholars note there's no firm evidence that it really happened. The story says that Elagabalus had a false ceiling constructed with a tilted roof. He arranged for thousands of flowers to rain down from the ceiling as his guests enjoyed their dinner. So many flowers poured down that some of the guests were supposedly smothered to death. During another dinner party, Elagabalus reportedly served fake food. He also released tame lions and leopards to wander loose among his party guests. Nobody was harmed. But his dinner companions were likely petrified.

The Price Is Fright

These banquets and their scare tactics were pricey for the Roman Empire. They left less money available to help the citizens. Everyday people struggled to buy food to survive. Meanwhile, the emperors got their kicks out of scaring their guests. Those Romans had enough to eat, but they probably wondered if they would live through these fearsome feasts.

QUESTION 1


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What is this Article mainly about?

The everyday people of ancient Rome struggled to survive, while the emperors threw pricey dinner parties.
Some ancient Roman emperors enjoyed showing off their power by hosting scary banquets.
There is no firm evidence that Emperor Elagabalus held a deadly dinner party.
No one was harmed after Emperor Elagabalus let tame lions and leopards wander loose during a banquet.

Answer 1

The article is mainly about how some ancient Roman emperors enjoyed showing off their power by hosting scary banquets.