Pages Through the Ages is a book discussion group hosted jointly by the Westport Museum for History and Culture and the Library. Discuss Emma Southon's A Fatal Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum with Bruce McGuirk and other history buffs. Meetings will alternate between the buildings, so please check the venue prior to attending! Copies of the book are available at the Westport Library patron service desk or electronically.
Registration suggested for this in-person event.
This is a cultural history of murder in Ancient Rome. In Ancient Rome all the best stories have one thing in common - murder. Romulus killed Remus to found the city; Caesar was assassinated to save the Republic. Caligula was butchered in the theatre, Claudius was poisoned at dinner and Galba was beheaded in the forum. In one fifty-year period, twenty-six emperors were murdered.
But what did killing mean in a city where gladiators fought to the death to sate a crowd? Emma Southon examines real-life homicides from Roman history to explore how perpetrator, victim and the act itself were regarded by ordinary people. Inside Ancient Rome's unique culture of crime and punishment, we see how the Romans viewed life, death, and what it means to be human.
Community Partner: Westport Museum for History & Culture
