So, you think we live in troublesome times? Mark Oliver on laws from ancient Rome:
Rome was a beacon of civilization in a dark world. In the words of one of their own, Rome was “the seat of virtue, empire, and dignity,” ruled by laws so just that they could “surpass the libraries of all the philosophers.”
I wonder what the definitions of virtue and dignity were in ancient Rome. Here’s the spoiler alert and my favorites:
- Wearing purple was a crime – only emperors could wear it
- Women couldn’t cry at funerals – professionals did the crying
- Fathers could murder a daughter’s lover – Jerry Springer a few thousand years ago
- Prostitutes had to be blonde – but did they have more fun?
- Fathers could kill their whole family – here in the U.S. rich people can kill a political party.