A Really Strange Question...

[Lost_Warrior]

Ok, this is going to sound weird, but does anyone know the name of the Roman music instrament that has "appeared" in both the Gladiator music and more recently, Empire? It's...very high pitched and reedy....

 

It kind of sounds like someone is choking a bagpipe

[Favonius Cornelius]

Well, you mean in the movie or a part of its music? Chances are you are just hearing some modern instrament being played to sound all ancient. Fact is we know precious little about ancient music.

[Lost_Warrior]

The music. I never saw the thing lol. (I do know its in the gladiator soundtrack which i have...but could be the same people that did the music)

[Virgil61]

The music. I never saw the thing lol. (I do know its in the gladiator soundtrack which i have...but could be the same people that did the music)

I don't remember much about the music played on Empire. It's interesting that I was doing some searching last month on music from Rome and Greece. Not much survives, but I do know that the Romans, as usual, drew a lot from the Greeks. If you're interested there is a very small amount of Greek musical notation discovered that has been deciphered to the best of anyone's ability. There are even some surviving vocals. The site has some music and vocal samples you can listen to:

 

http://classics.uc.edu/music/

 

Here's a decent page:

http://www.musica-romana.de/

 

There's also a small sampling of some scant surviving works of a musician from Hadrian's era named Mesomedes from Crete:

[Lost_Warrior]

Oh, wow, thanks!

 

By the way, does anyone know of any legion marching songs? (i'm sure they had them)

[Primus Pilus]

By the way, does anyone know of any legion marching songs? (i'm sure they had them)

From Suetonius regarding the song sung by Caesar's men at his quadruple triumph

 

"All the Gauls did Caesar vanquish, Nicomedes vanquished him;

Lo! now Caesar rides in triumph, victor over all the Gauls,

Nicomedes does not triumph, who subdued the conqueror."

 

Men of Rome, keep close to your consorts, here's a bald adulterer.

Gold in Gaul you spent in dalliance, which you borrowed here in Rome."

[Lost_Warrior]

Men of Rome, keep close to your consorts, here's a bald adulterer.

Gold in Gaul you spent in dalliance, which you borrowed here in Rome."

 

 

LOLOL!! I've read that before somewhere (well...not exactly...it was a paraphrasing which refered to Caesar as a "bald old lady killer")

 

Thanks for the info!

[Onasander]

Cadance should be strickened from the history books, I hate singing it.

It's only historical use is to find our their average speed in march, though I highly doubt Ceasars troops sang much during thier week long force marches.

 

Oh, by the way, if you go to any Orthodox Mass in a monestary, you'll hear it (not always so with catholic monastaries, they sometimes whip out other styles). Massive literature has survived onrian this subject, just stop by a Syrian or Greek church and ask the priest.

[Lost_Warrior]

hmm, ok. I don't know where there are any churches like that around here though (not that I ever really paid much attention)

[Domitianus3]

I believe the instrument you are looking for is known as the Duduk... it is of Armenian origins. The only reason I know this is because I am huge fan of the Gladiator soundtrack and watched the interview with Hans Zimmer on the DVD and it is mentioned.

[Lost_Warrior]

Lol cool! Thanks! I was wondering that!

 

I'll look it up a little later.