Mythology Notes

Movies have an unparalleled reach, significantly shaping popular perceptions of the past much more than academic historical accounts.

Cinema traditionally depicts ancient Roman and Greek cities as immaculate white marble.
This image starkly contrasts the painted realities of antiquity.
The power of this ingrained image leads audiences to question any historically accurate depiction that deviates from it.

Historical movies frequently express contemporary societal themes and concerns more than they accurately convey the past.

What is depicted in films becomes "history" for the public imagination, while aspects that are omitted are often forgotten or erased from collective memory.
Example: The contrast between the portrayal of Cleopatra and the historical figure Constantius II illustrates how selective representation alters perceptions of history.

The foremost objective of directors and moviemakers is profit rather than education, making historical accuracy a secondary consideration.

Historical consultants, such as for the movie "Julius Caesar", note that scholarship can acknowledge uncertainty, using phrases like "we don't really know."
However, filmmaking cannot present such ambiguity; directors prefer concrete and definitive portrayals, irrespective of the evidence's reliability.

Popular media's mainstream attention influences what is remembered and recognized in history.

The widely recognized straight-arm salute associated with ancient Rome lacks any basis in genuine Roman literature or archaeological findings.
Actual gestures of authority by the Romans were not rigid straight-arm salutes.

A 2009 study by Winkler traces the origins of the modern salute to early modern paintings, especially Jacques-Louis David's "Oath of the Horatii" (late 18th century).
The extended arm gesture in this painting was linked to oath-swearing and loyalty.
Subsequently, this gesture was termed the "Roman salute" by the Italian ultra-nationalist Gabriele D'Annunzio in the early 20th century, later inspiring figures like Benito Mussolini and subsequently the Nazis.

In Juvenal's satires, there is a mention of a thumb gesture in the context of gladiatorial games; however, its exact interpretation as life or death remains ambiguous, in contrast to today's clear understanding.

Cinema, being a late 19th-century invention, quickly adopted ancient themes, with Cleopatra frequently depicted.

"Cabiria" is an Italian silent film directed by Giovanni Pastrone and written by Gabriele D'Annunzio, recognized as a pivotal example of early cinema.
Historical Context:
- The film was released during a period of European colonial expansion in Africa, particularly around Italy's invasion of Libya.
Propaganda Aspects:
- The film intentionally promoted Italian nationalism by equating ancient Romans with modern Italians, whereas North Africans (Carthaginians) were portrayed as barbaric "others", effectively justifying Italian expansionist motives.

This scene controversially depicts Carthaginians engaging in child sacrifice, embodying a trope that Romans likely created to demonize their enemies.

"Cabiria" is notable for being among the first films to utilize moving cameras, a development that profoundly influenced the epic film genre.

Due to the absence of sound, early silent films relied heavily on exaggerated gestures, intertitles, and recognizable signals (like the raised arm salute, which was not exclusive to Rome at the time) to narrate their stories.

The character Maciste represents an archetype of the strongman in early cinema, who was reused in various Italian productions that followed.

As the screenwriter for "Cabiria" and an ultra-nationalist, D'Annunzio intentionally cultivated the notion of the "Roman salute," thus embedding it in popular culture despite its historical inaccuracies.