Slaves and Thespians

It seems our nine weeks in Provence will involve a rotating roster between culture, shopping and the great outdoors. Of course eating will be the constant in any activity.

So after our soul-less stop at Aix-en-Provence we really needed to pick up our game. Culture has been the theme-du-jour.

Before embarking on this adventure we might have considered the idea of visiting old Roman ruins and dismissed it off bat. Of course we wouldn’t ever entertain the idea of not taking the children to the Colosseum, no trip would be complete without it. But traipsing around amphitheatres, theatre ruins and the remains of Roman settlements? Probably not going to enthrall small children.

We have been happily surprised.

Yesterday we wandered slowly around what used to be a Roman village in Vaison La Romaine for about 3 hours in the baking sun. Today was the Theatre in Orange.  The children are completely engaged in the idea of learning about a different culture and a different time. The latrines have probably been the highlight so far. Communal toileting facilities…possibly a step too far for the modern-day child.

The children are soaking it all up. I noticed that today Jamie and I listened to the first instalment of the audio guide and then put it down - far too much effort - but the children kept listening and learning. George was fascinated that every time there was a change of Emperor they would simply decapitate the current statue and replace with a head showing the likeness of the new one. While many of the marble columns in the Orange Theatre have been destroyed the Emperor still stands there watching and guarding. Apparently every Theatre had one in prime spot so that the people would be reminded of his omnipotency.

You really do need to pinch yourself when standing in the midst of a structure that was built in the First Century representing the height of the Roman Empire. It’s a lot to take in.  While my first thought is always for the poor slaves who must have built that structure with their bare hands and in terrible working conditions I then quickly move on to wondering what life was like back then.  Mind you today we were helped by the presence of a group of men, women and children from Arles who seem to be so fascinated in Roman times that they had come in numbers dressed as Centurions to walk around with wooden swords and yell at each other in pigeon Latin. I wondered about their sanity - just like groups in England who think they are still in the times of the Crusades or Americans who spend weekends recreating the Civil War. I guess we should be happy for them that they have found their passion, and each other.

There is one aspect of life where I think the Romans got it completely right. They valued leisure time. In fact they enforced it. And they held thespians in high regard. Plays were held at least 100 days in the year and the Theatre was both free and accessible (open to everyone and anyone, although your social status determined how far you sat from the action). And, most impressively, at the height of the Empire 67 days a year were put aside as public holidays for everyone to attend the Theatre. It was a place to gather, be entertained and enlightened.

I try to reconcile that with our current sports-obsessed culture and wonder when it all changed. Mind you, the Romans were not without their sporting pursuits either. We are yet to visit an amphitheatre. I think bull fighting might just be appealing to the children too.