Playlists: songs about the Roman Empire

By Marco den Ouden

There is a famous book (six books actually) – The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon. It was his life work. He compared the publication of each succeeding volume to giving birth to a child. So following last week’s topic I thought about doing a mini-version of Gibbon’s magnum opus in song. In my version I include the rise as well as the fall. So here is:

The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire in Song…

Dateline: 510 BC — Romulus and Remus & the Rape of Lucretia
Most people know of the famous statue that represents Rome—a she-wolf suckling two human boys, Romulus and Remus. Romulus killed Remus and founded the city of Rome and the Kingdom of Rome according to legend. The city was founded in 750 BC. Romulus was the first king.

Then, around 510 BC, a noblewoman named Lucretia was raped by Sextus Tarquinius, son of the then king, Lucius Tarquinius Superbus. (You gotta love those Roman names! Just superbus!) Lucretia’s subsequent suicide led to a rebellion that overturned the monarchy and turned Rome into a Republic. The event is recounted in The Rape of Lucretia by Momus. “Romulus and Remus, orphans of the forest, grow to their majority, throw up their hands in horror,” They sing. 

Dateline: 270 BC to 14 AD — The Rise of Rome During the Republican Era
The video game Rome: Total War takes place during Rome’s expansion during the Republican era to the early years after its slide into tyranny with Julius Caesar. Military campaigns sent Roman legions around the known world conquering new territory. Forever is a song by Angela Van Dyck hoping for her Roman soldier to return safely to her arms. 

My love you march to war defiant
May god returneth you triumphant
And you'll be brave, be strong, be true, my love
And I'll be waiting for you, forever…

Dateline: 218 - 201 BC — Hannibal & the Second Punic War
The African powerhouse known as Carthage waged three wars with Rome known as the Punic Wars. The Second Punic War is notable for the attack on Rome from the Alps led by Hannibal and accompanied by war elephants. We have a jazzy tribute to Hannibal from Miles Davis.

Dateline: 73 BC — Spartacus & the Slave Revolt
Spartacus was a Thracian gladiator who led a slave revolt in 73 BC. German prog rock band Triumvirat tell the story in their song, Spartacus. The rebellion lasted two years but was ultimately crushed. 

Glory and wealth, power of Rome
Built on the shoulders of millions of slaves
Spartacus knows, though he was close
There'll be more blood and pain

Dateline: 49 BC — Caesar Crosses the Rubicon
Julius Caesar had been appointed governor of a vast territory that stretched from Gaul (France, Belgium and other territories in Europe) to Illyricum (Albania and most of the former Yugoslavia). When his governorship ended, he was ordered to disband his army and return to Rome. Caesar defied the order and returned with his army by crossing the Rubicon, the point of no return. This precipitated a civil war that ultimately led to Caesar becoming Dictator for Life. Bob Dylan tells of this in Crossing the Rubicon. Historical reference or allegory? It rings true either way. 

Dateline: 47 BC - 30 BC — Cleopatra, Julius Caesar and Mark Antony
Cleopatra was the legendary queen of ancient Egypt from 51 BC to her suicide by asp (actually poison—the asp is myth) in 30 BC. During this time she was romantically entangled with Julius Caesar, bearing him a son around 47 BC. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, she supported the Second Triumvirate in another Roman civil war and became Mark Antony’s lover, bearing him three children. Cleopatra’s Cat is an amusing ditty from the Spin Doctors. Its historical accuracy, however, is suspect! 

Here’s a recreation of the visit of Antony and Cleopatra to Ephesus in 33 BC which I filmed on vacation in 2011.

Dateline: 44 BC — Caesar Assassinated
No history of ancient Rome would be complete without recounting the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Its most famous telling is in the Shakespeare play, Julius Caesar. The Last Dinner Party recreates the play in Caesar on a TV Screen. This is one you should watch the video for. All the parts are played by the members of this all-female band. 

Dateline: 37 - 41 AD — Caligula
The Roman emperor Caligula has been regarded in popular culture as one of the vilest, cruelest, most wanton, megalomaniacal rulers in history. The 1979 movie about him, however, does exaggerate his depravity though the Sky History website does say “Caligula declared himself a god, inflicted vile punishments on anyone who he perceived to be an enemy, almost made his horse a senator and was generally violent, unpredictable and depraved.” And Caligula’s chilling line in the movie: “Would that the Roman people had but a single neck,” is, in fact, accurate as recorded by the historian Suetonius.  Frances Barber’s It’s Just My Little Tribute to Caligula, Darling is laced with sarcasm as she lambastes the tyrant. The song is from the Pet Shop Boys musical Closer to Heaven. 

Dateline: 64 AD — Persecution of Christians
After Rome’s fall into tyranny, a succession of corrupt and ruthless dictators ruled, interspersed with a number of relatively benign and just rulers. In 64 AD, under the Emperor Nero, the Great Fire of Rome broke out and raged for ten days and “destroyed three of Rome's 14 districts and severely damaged seven more.” (Wikipedia) Nero was alleged by several historians to have started the fires. He subsequently blamed the Christians leading to the first outright persecution of Christians. Groundation sings about it in the reggae number, Rome. Songs about modern discrimination against blacks is often compared to the plight of slaves in Rome in reggae music. 

Dateline: 64 AD — Nero Fiddles While Rome Burns
The story that Nero fiddled (played the lyre) while Rome burned is apocryphal. But it makes for good legend and is popularized in legend and in song. A couple were nominated but I’m going with Nero by Theatre of Hate. “The world burns, but Nero plays on,” they sing. 

Dateline: 79 AD — Destruction of Pompeii
In 79 AD the city of Pompeii was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The enormity of the event can be judged by the fact that the volcano “eject(ed) molten rock, pulverized pumice and hot ash at 1.5 million tons per second, ultimately releasing 100,000 times the thermal energy of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.” (Wikipedia) It is notable for completely burying and preserving the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. A number of songs on Pompeii were suggested and I opted for Pompeii by Bastille. 

Dateline: 376 AD — Fall of Roman Empire
The final decline of the Western Roman Empire started in 376 AD. The last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustulus, was finally deposed by the Germanic Odoacer in 476 marking the end of the Roman Empire. From its beginnings to its end, Rome in its various incarnations from Kingdom to Republic to Tyranny survived for almost a thousand years. Goldblade recap the story in The Decline and Fall of Ancient Rome. 

Postscript
Goldblade notably ask “What did the Romans ever do for us?” implying the answer, “Not a damn thing!” But the fact is that Rome left us quite a legacy. Perhaps the greatest legacy is the principle of the Rule of Law. And then there was… well we’ll let Christopher Purves tell the story in the appropriately titled What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us? adapted from the Monty Python movie, The Life of Brian. 

The Ascendant Ancient Rome A-List Playlist:

1. Rape of Lucretia by Momus (Vikingchild)

2. Forever by Angela & Jeff Van Dyck (Loud Atlas)

3. Hannibal by Miles Davis (BanazirGalbasi)

4. Spartacus by Triumvirat (AltraEgo)

5. Crossing the Rubicon by Bob Dylan (Uncleben)

6. Cleopatra’s Cat by Spin Doctors (Bobby Legwarmer)

7. Caesar on a TV Screen by The Last Dinner Party (Uncleben)

8. It’s Just My Little Tribute to Caligula, Darling by Frances Barber (Vikingchild)

9. Rome by Groundation (Nicko)

10. Nero by Theatre of Hate (Carpgate)

11. Pompeii by Bastille (BanazirGalbasi)

12. The Decline and Fall of Ancient Rome by Goldblade (Carpgate)

13. What Have the Romans Ever Done for Us? by Christopher Purves ft Monty Python (Eric Idle) (severin)

Breaking Down The Empire B-List Playlist:

1. The Roman Empire by Bulat Okudsava (Maki)

2. Act III Scene 2 (Shakespeare) by Saul Williams ft Zack de la Rocha (barbryn)

3. Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day by Morcheeba (barbryn)

4. Introduction: Last Days of Pompeii by Nova Mob (happyclapper)

5. All Roads Lead to Rome by The Stranglers (happyclapper)

6. Caligula Syndrome by Soft Cell (Vikingchild)

7. Cities in Dust by Siouxsie & the Banshees (Vikingchild)

8. Roman Soldiers of Babylon by Inner Circle (severin)

9. When in Rome by Oli Julian (TarquinSpodd)

10. Rome (Wasn’t Built in a Day) by Sam Cooke (BanazirGalbasi)

11. Up Pompeii by Frankie Howerd (vastariner)

12. Rome by Lloyd Jones (pejepeine)

13. In Ancient Rome by Perry Keyes (Nicko)

14. Love Theme From Spartacus by Terry Callier (Nicko)

15. Rome by Sugar Minott (Nicko)

16. Then Kill Cæsar by Current 93 (vanwolf2)

17. Pompeii by Molly Nilsson (vanwolf2)

18. Fall of Rome by James Reyne (ajostu)

19. Now We Are Free by Lisa Gerrard & Hans Zimmer (Nicko)

20. Nero by Matt Pless (EnglishOutlaw)

21. Lights of Taormina by Mark Knopfler (Maki)

22. Eric the Gardener by The Divine Comedy (Fred Erickson)

23. Roman Holiday by Olivia Chaney (severin)

I, Claudius and Co C-List (Instrumental):

1. I, Claudius Theme by Wilfred Joseph (BanazirGalabasi)

2. Entry of the Gladiators by Julius Fucik (severin)

3. Arena in the Sun by Colosseum (BanazirGalbasi)

4. Entry of the Gladiators by Nero & the Gladiators (vastariner)

5. Leaving Rome by Jo Jo Bennett (pejepeine)

6. The Battle by Hans Zimmer (Loud Atlas)

7. Et Tu Brute? by Chris Potter (BanazirGalbasi)

8. Cleopatra’s Dream by Bud Powell (Nicko)

9. Roman Gods by The Fleshtones (AltraEgo)

10. Octavian to Augustus by Land Observations (TatankaYotanka)
    

Guru’s Wildcard Pick:

Coldplay - Viva La Vida

These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: Carpe diem: songs about the Roman Empire. The next topic will launch on Thursday after 1pm UK time.

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Claudius, Caligula and Tiberius having a tense moment at the aftershow party