Franschhoek Theatre features expert on Ancient Rome

Staff Reporter|Published 7 months ago

The Arch of Titus, built to celebrate the state-sanctioned deification of Titus, who defeated a Jewish revolt in Judea. Much of what we know about Titus is due to Flavius Josephus, a historian closely studied by Ursula Westwood.

SmallTalX and the Franschhoek Theatre will host Dr Ursula Westwood, an expert on Ancient Rome, for a public talk on Wednesday July 31.

Dr Westwood, who received a doctorate from the University of Oxford, will talk on the topic of propaganda in Ancient Rome.

Dr Westwood’s talk on Roman propaganda shines a light on the politics of the Ancient World. What we today call ‘propaganda’ was a daily fact of civic life in Rome.

The Emperor Augustus, for example, told his fellow Romans that a brewing civil war was in fact an invasion of barbarians. Notable Roman figures such as Titus were also deified - that is, elevated to the status of gods - by political proclamation, in what amounted to a public relations exercise.

Dr Westwood is a leading authority on the Jewish-Roman historian Flavius Josephus, who wrote about the Great Jewish Revolt of 66-70 AD. This war included the famous Siege of Masada, of which Josephus’ is the only contemporary account.

The event forms part of the popular SmallTalX series of public events, aimed at bringing subject matter experts and academics into contact with the general public. Recent events at the Franschhoek Theatre have included talks on marine life, classical music, radio astronomy, artificial intelligence, and soil biodiversity.

The events are hosted at the Franschhoek Theatre on the last Wednesday of each month. The audience is invited for a glass of wine and snacks after a Q&A session with the guest speaker.

SmallTalX and the Franschhoek Theatre have partnered with the Franschhoek branch of Wordsworth Books, who will be offering related publications for sale at the event.

SmallTalX also publishes a monthly newsletter, featuring news from South African scientists, academics, writers and journalists.

Dr Westwood’s talk on propaganda in Ancient Rome takes place on Wednesday July 31, at the Franschhoek Theatre, and starts at 6.30pm.

Tickets cost R250 and include wine, snacks, and a Q&A with the speaker. Tickets can be booked at www.franschhoektheatre.co.za, emailing smalltalx.info@gmail.com, or via WhatsApp at 076 469 6485.

The Ides of March coin celebrating the assassination of Julius Caesar, featuring a bust of Brutus, one of the assassins.

Dr Ursula Westwood, pictured here in front of the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford.