Cassius Dio, Historia Romana 67.8: the Capitolia in Rome

Cassius Dio, Historia Romana 67.8: the Capitolia in Rome

164-235 CE

Historiography

Literary source

So many honours were voted to him [Domitian] that almost the whole world (so far as it was under his dominion) was filled with his images and statues constructed of both silver and gold. He also gave a very costly spectacle, in regard to which we have noted nothing that was worthy of historic record except that maidens contended in the foot-race. After this, in the course of holding what purported to be triumphal celebrations, he arranged numerous contests. In the Circus, for example, he exhibited battles of infantry against infantry and again battles between cavalry, and in a new place he produced a naval battle. At this last event practically all the combatants and many of the spectators as well perished. For, though a heavy rain and violent storm came up suddenly, he nevertheless permitted no one to leave the spectacle; and though he himself changed his clothing to thick woollen cloaks, he would not allow the others to change their attire, so that not a few fell sick and died. By way, no doubt, of consoling the people for this, he provided for them at public expense a dinner lasting all night. Often he would conduct the games also at night, and sometimes he would pit dwarfs and women against each other.

Earnest Cary/Herbert B. Foster, Cassius Dio Cocceianus, Dio's Roman History, vol. 8 (= Loeb Classical Library; 176) London/New York 1925.

καὶ τοσαῦτα αὐτῷ ἐψηφίσθη ὥστε πᾶσαν ὀλίγου δεῖν τὴν οἰκουμένην τὴν ὑπ᾽ αὐτὸν οὖσαν εἰκόνων αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνδριάντων καὶ ἀργυρῶν καὶ χρυσῶν ἐμπλησθῆναι. ἐποίησε δὲ καὶ θέαν πολυτελῆ, ἐν ᾗ ἄλλο μὲν οὐδὲν ἐς ἱστορίαν ἐπίσημον παρελάβομεν, πλὴν ὅτι καὶ παρθένοι τῷ δρομικῷ ἠγωνίσαντο: μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἑορτάς τινας νικητηρίους δῆθεν ἐπιτελῶν ἀγῶνας συχνοὺς ἐποίησε. τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ ἐν τῷ ἱπποδρόμῳ μάχας καὶ πεζῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους καὶ ἱππέων αὖ συνέβαλε, τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐν καινῷ τινι χωρίῳ ναυμαχίαν ἐπετέλεσε. καὶ ἀπέθανον ἐν αὐτῇ πάντες μὲν ὀλίγου δεῖν οἱ ναυμαχήσαντες, συχνοὶ δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῶν θεωμένων: ὑετοῦ γὰρ πολλοῦ καὶ χειμῶνος σφοδροῦ ἐξαίφνης γενομένου οὐδενὶ ἐπέτρεψεν ἐκ τῆς θέας ἀπαλλαγῆναι, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς μανδύας ἀλλασσόμενος ἐκείνους οὐδὲν εἴασε μεταβαλεῖν, καὶ ἐκ τούτου ἐνόσησαν οὐκ ὀλίγοι καὶ ἐτελεύτησαν. ἐφ᾽ ᾧ που παραμυθούμενος αὐτοὺς δεῖπνόν σφισι δημοσίᾳ διὰ πάσης τῆς νυκτὸς παρέσχε. πολλάκις δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀγῶνας νύκτωρ ἐποίει, καὶ ἔστιν ὅτε καὶ νάνους καὶ γυναῖκας συνέβαλλε.

Earnest Cary/Herbert B. Foster (eds.), Cassius Dio Cocceianus, Dio's Roman History, vol. 8 (= Loeb Classical Library; 176) London/New York 1925.