kre8tv Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 I'm new here and a relatively new student of Roman history. I'm turning to this wise forum for advice and directions. What was the title of the individual who would report news to Romans of their empire's latest conquests? Was it always delivered first as a spoken-word account? Was it always in a public place? Any details or useful links are appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostOfClayton Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 It won Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melvadius Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 Although there are more modern works which may now disagree with some aspects of this explanation as a start you may find this article from A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890) by William Smith, LLD on the cursus publicus of interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispina Posted January 19, 2012 Report Share Posted January 19, 2012 (In Falco, there is frequent mention of a journal that in context would be equivalent to a newspaper/newsletter. I seem to remember it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maty Posted January 26, 2012 Report Share Posted January 26, 2012 Here's some contemporary news reporting on a major breaking story, as told by Polybius a generation later. "On the news of the defeat reaching Rome, the civic leaders were unable to suppress or soften reporting of the facts because of the scale of the disaster. [A Roman defeat by Hannibal]. Therefore they summoned a meeting of the people to announce it. Therefore the Praetor mounted the Rostra and stated 'we have been defeated in a great battle.'" The Acta appears to have been in imperial innovation. By and large, news would seem to have been propagated by the old fashioned method of public announcements (especially at public ceremonies) and posting notices. We have some of these notices surviving from Pompeii for scheduled gladiator games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guy Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 (edited) I'm new here and a relatively new student of Roman history. I'm turning to this wise forum for advice and directions. What was the title of the individual who would report news to Romans of their empire's latest conquests? Was it always delivered first as a spoken-word account? Was it always in a public place? (To echo what Ghost said) I loved the performance of Ian McNeice as the senate crier in the HBO series "Rome." I don't know whether the following information is correct: Newsreader (Senate Crier) (fictional), played by Ian McNeice. The closest [HBO series]"Rome" comes to a narrator, and the mouthpiece for pieces of plot exposition not fully explained. The Newsreader announces daily the pronouncements of the Senate, public service announcements, business advertisements, and the current events of the Republic to the people in the Forum. He often uses dramatic gesticulations when using names of important Romans, like Gaius Julius Caesar. All these pronouncements would also Edited January 31, 2012 by guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostOfClayton Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Is the signed photo yours, Guy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guy Posted February 2, 2012 Report Share Posted February 2, 2012 Is the signed photo yours, Guy? No. guy also known as gaius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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