Philosophy of Leisure in Ancient Rome - Essay Example

? PHILOSOPHY OF LEISURE IN ANCIENT ROME: ROMAN VILLAS AS A RETREAT FROM AFFLUENCE AND STRESS OF URBAN LIFE by Philosophy of Leisure in Ancient Rome: Roman Villas as a Retreat from Affluence and Stress of Urban Life Introduction What is leisure? Different philosophers at different times tried to define the concept. St. Augustine said that, as long as he was not asked to define the meaning of leisure, he knew what it was, but if asked about its meaning, then he could not definitely describe it (Toner 1995). Really, leisure is one of the few popular concepts that are excessively difficult to define. Despite the way it affected and redirected social progress, leisure never had a single, universal definition. Simultaneously, leisure exemplified one of the foundational elements of social life in Ancient Rome. Swimming, wrestling, board games, and baths created an atmosphere of creativity and difference from monotonous work. Much has been written and said about Roman villas, their architectural and structural elements. However, the Roman Villa was not merely a product of construction; rather, it reflected the philosophy of leisure and pastime in Ancient Rome. For a wealthy Roman, villa was an effective retreat from the stresses and affluence of public life in the city: Roman villas fulfilled a number of functions, from socialization to philosophic contemplation, providing their owners with a unique opportunity to isolate themselves from the pressuring realities of urban life. This paper lays out a general picture of leisure in Ancient Rome, its philosophy and practical implications, and discusses the way Roman villas served the needs of wealthy Romans through the prism of ancient leisure philosophies. Leisure and philosophy of leisure in Ancient Rome Leisure can be viewed as a set of activities different and separated from work. This is something people do for their own pleasure and for the purpose of physical and emotional relaxation. In the ancient life, as well as the ancient ethics and philosophy, what constitutes happiness was one of the central questions (Annas 1993). However, Aristotle is believed to be the main source of philosophic ideas about leisure in Ancient Rome. In Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle (1984) suggests that happiness is the best humans can achieve. Happiness reflects and reveals the best of human nature (Aristotle 1984). Leisure is where the function, form, and excellence create an ideal combination (Aristotle 1984). Intellectual and moral excellences are essential ingredients of personal happiness (Aristotle 1984). Leisure is the best way to achieve and retain these excellences, through friendship, music, gymnastics, and other leisure activities (Aristotle 1984). Without these activities, no happiness is possible (Aristotle 1984). Aristotle (1984) treats happiness as the ultimate goal of life, since good life cannot be limited to reason and knowledge. A good life is that in which individuals understand every situation, choose the right activity for the right place, and do it in right way to achieve the desired feeling (Aristotle 1984). Aristotle (1984) believes that work limits individual opportunities to achieve happiness, and leisure can compensate for the lack of happiness and self-fulfillment. According to Aristotle (1984), leisure benefits everyone, since it enables individuals to take and make the best of themselves. In Politics, Aristotle writes that the citizens of Athens must be educated and prepared to spend their lives in noble pleasure (Hunnicutt 1990). Eventually, the entire human happiness depends on leisure (Aristotle 1984). It is no wonder that Aristotelian ideas about leisure inspired Ancient Romans, especially wealthy ones, to spend their lives in affluence and entertainment. Leisure was considered an essential ingredient of daily lives among wealthy, which did not merely entertain but expanded wealthy Romans’ mental and emotional potential (Pike & Price 2008). The wealthier the Roman was the more opportunities he had to devote himself to leisure activities. Only the wealthiest could afford building villas, which exemplified a foundational element of leisure in Ancient Rome. The importance of leisure, within and beyond the Roman Villas, was further supported by Epicurus, who treated leisure as a means to reduce the stress of urban life and release body and mind from anxiety (Pike & Price 2008). It is noteworthy that not all leisure activities bring happiness and self-satisfaction. Aristotle (1984) claims that only virtuous life and leisure activities designed to exercise virtue can bring real happiness. In this sense, the Roman Villa was clearly an example of leisure, which was virtuous by nature and brought pleasure and satisfaction into the lives of wealthy Romans. The Roman Villa: A Retreat from the Stresses of Urban Life Why discuss the Roman Villa? The answer is simple: the Roman Villa is a complex philosophic intersection between leisure space and leisure time (Toner 1995). Leisure space (villas) and leisure time (activities) do not automatically co-exist (Toner 1995). Rather, it is through the actions of people that the relationship between leisure time and leisure space is created, improved, and remade (Toner 1995). Leisure space and leisure time can create a serious conflict; however, the Roman Villa enabled wealthy citizens to achieve and maintain the state of harmony between the place, time, and leisure activities, so popular and accepted throughout Ancient Rome. Leisure philosophies of Aristotle and Epicurus inspired Romans to create villas everywhere around the country, far from urban noise and stresses. The Roman Villa was actually a house of power, a supreme symbol of the individual and collective power of the wealthy, their ability to control people and the environment, and the place where the wealthiest could exercise their social and political dominance to the fullest (Frazer 1998). The rapid development and spreading of the “villa” culture reflected the striving of the wealthiest layers to conquer natural environments away from the city (Frazer 1998). Needless to say, the Roman Villa was a luxury affordable for only the wealthiest (Frazer 1998). As a result, the Roman Villa was not only a measure of cultural and social development in Ancient Rome but a symbol of unquestionable, brutal, and ambivalent political power (Frazer 1998). To have or to live in a villa was the same as to enjoy a privilege, which only few could have. As a result, those few, who could afford to have and live in a villa, used the opportunity to run away from the stresses of urban life and isolate themselves from the pressures and anxieties of city politics. For wealthy citizens, the Roman Villa was a retreat from the stresses of public life. Leisure needs of wealthy Romans dictated where each villa was located and how it was designed. The Roman Villa had to be located away from Rome, to create an atmosphere of relaxation and provide a food for thought. This was exactly the case of Horace – a talented poet who celebrated the emperor and his regime and, for his deeds and achievements was granted a country estate not far from Maecenas (James 2008). That was the Sabine Farm Horace described in his poems and cherished until the end of his life. The villa life for Horace was nothing but a combination of good food and drink and socialization with friends (James 2008). Horace’s life in the villa went in line and supported Epicurean philosophy of leisure. It was later expressed and praised in Horace’s poems. In his story of a country mouse and town mouse, Horace (2005) praises the peace and solitude of the countryside (Book II Satire VI). Speaking of life in the city, the country mouse confesses: “This life’s no use to me: and so, farewell: my woodland hole, and simple vetch, safe from such scares, they’ll do for me” (Horace 2005, Book II Satire VI). Horace praises and prays to Mercury, to thank him for his Sabine farm (James 2008). His delight and emotions about being in the countryside are difficult to conceal. In his Sixth Satire, Horace speaks of the pressures and stresses he experiences, whenever he walks the streets of Maecenas (James 2008). Thus, it comes as no surprise that the Sabine Farm gives him a feeling of relief and a pleasure he would never experience in the city. Pliny the Younger was another bright example of how the villa served the emotional and leisure needs of Romans. A talented lawyer, Pliny the Younger enjoyed the process of creating his villa near Laurentum (James & Huskinson 2008). The villa was designed in ways that maximized its leisure potential, with a large dining room, the bright sun coming through the windows, rooms designed and decorated to make them convenient for reading and study, and protected from the dangerous forces of nature and bad weather (James & Huskinson 2008). Apparently, villas were built to enhance the sense of self-satisfaction and create an atmosphere of peace and solitude. This is what many Romans sought in their villas. The way Roman Villas were built reflected the main leisure and philosophic tendencies of the time. Actually, the form and organization of each villa were inspired by the descriptions of leisure created by Roman writers. In the writings of Columella, the villa was an embodiment of relaxation and the source of unique restorative powers; otium (or the harmony of nature) was opposed to negotium (the pressures and excesses of urban life) (Frazer 1998). Horace and Pliny the Younger described their villas in great detail. Pliny encouraged the architects to follow his recommendations and ideas. For Pliny the Younger, a Roman Villa was necessarily a sophisticated architectural creation, embedded into the surrounding landscape, with numerous loggias and terraces (Frazer 1998). The latter had to replace traditional walls, to give a feeling of freedom. This way Pliny would have an opportunity to easily and invisibly retreat into the garden, to enjoy the beauty of nature (Frazer 1998). As a result, the cultural and leisure life in the Roman Villa would differ dramatically from that in the city. A Roman Villa had to be self-sufficient; otherwise, the pleasure of possessing it would be incomplete. This is why Roman Villa owners were proud of having their own oil, pressing their own wine, and living a life of self-sufficiency, with no need to get back into the city (Frazer 1998). This is probably why the Roman Villa was considered as the foundational element of Western architecture at times of Ancient Rome. According to Aristotle, the main function of every human being is to engage in activities that exercise reason. In this sense, and through Roman Villas, wealthy citizens also sought to exercise their power to the fullest. Apart from leisure, the Roman villa for wealthy roman citizens was an instrument to impose strict control over the forces of nature. Moreover, it is possible to say that power and control were the sources of pleasure and leisure for the Romans. All those features could be readily found in how Roman villas were built. On the one hand, the Roman villa was designed to let wealthy citizens exercise their reason: rooms were located to let the residents focus on their moral development and professional growth (Pike & Price 2008). Paintings were used extensively to enhance each villa’s look (Pike & Price 2008). The closer the villa was to the coast, the more likely the citizens were to use paintings; the latter had to create a unique mixture of nature and man-made architecture (Pike & Price 2008). Such paintings also supported Epicurean philosophy of life free from pressures and stresses (Pike & Price 2008). Mosaics added to the color and pattern of architecture in Roman villas. Roman mosaic design exhibited unique features and patterns; it is through mosaics and frescoes that wealthy citizens could utilize the Roman villas’ leisure potential to the fullest (Pike & Price 2008). Mosaics were used to decorate the floor and showed the owner’s professional and educational belonging (Pike & Price 2008). Mosaics echoed the principles, beliefs, and values of the Roman villa owners and gave the owner a sense of great satisfaction. Certainly, not everyone could afford to build and use villas for their own satisfaction. Moreover, the feeling of ambivalence and ambiguity between the city life and the life in the country was not uncommon. Back to Horace’s Satires, the relationship between the country mouse and the town mouse is actually a reflection of hesitation: a wealthy Roman cannot decide whether he wants to live in town or near the countryside (Horace 2005). Such hesitation was natural for wealthy Romans, who were equally committed to both lifestyles and felt that their dominance and superiority were essentially about being able to make a a change in lifestyle (Frazer 1998). At times, the city and the Roman villa caused schizophrenia of philosophies and meanings, which not all Romans could successfully resolve. Some Romans built their villas to re-establish and strengthen the force of urban ideology and power (Frazer 1998). That however was an exception rather than rule, and most wealthy Romans used their villas to run away from the stresses of life in the city. Like Horace and Pliny the Younger, wealthy citizens in Ancient Rome wanted to enjoy the power of retreat from the pressure of public life. Roman villas set up a clear boundary between public and private space (Hales 2003). Whether they spent their time with friends or in self-contemplation did not really matter, as long as the villa gave wealthy Romans the power to run away from the pressuring realities of life in Rome. Conclusion For a wealthy Roman, villa was an effective retreat from the stresses and affluence of public life in the city: Roman villas fulfilled a number of functions, from socialization to philosophic contemplation, providing their owners with a unique opportunity to isolate themselves from the pressuring realities of urban life. The Roman Villa is a complex philosophic intersection between leisure space and leisure time. The Roman Villa had to be located away from Rome, to create an atmosphere of relaxation and provide a food for thought. Villas were built to enhance the sense of self-satisfaction and create an atmosphere of peace and solitude, but not all Romans could deal with ambivalence and duality of the urban-rural lifestyle. That however was an exception rather than rule, and like Horace and Pliny the Younger, wealthy citizens in Ancient Rome wanted to enjoy the power of retreat from the pressure of public life. 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James, P 2008, ‘Seize the day and savour it: Horace’s carpe diem’, Open2.net, [online], accessed at http://www.open2.net/arts/horacecarpediem.html James, P & Huskinson, J 2008, ‘Leisure in the Roman Villa’, Book 4 Place and Leisure, The Open University, pp.64-98. Pike, J & Price, C 2008, ‘Leisure and the purpose of life’, Book 4 Place and Leisure, The Open University, pp.2-34. Toner, JP 1995, Leisure and Ancient Rome, Wiley-Blackwell. Read More