Did Herodes Atticus Genuinely or Fakely Grieve for His Murdered Wife?

Summary: Did Herodes Atticus genuinely or fakely grieve his murdered wife before, during or after her brother, Bradua, prompted a trial, albeit an acquittal?

Witty wise man Lucius successfully strategized to reduce the excessive level of grief in his friend, Herodes Atticus, by ridiculing him for the insult of "eating white radishes in a black house," begloomed with black hangings and fixtures in mourning for his murdered wife (Philostratus, The Lives of the Sophists, Book II.556-558, pages 160-163); Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013, 11:12, image of white and red radishes, Eugene Saturday Market, Farmers Market Pavilion and Plaza, Park Blocks, Eugene, Oregon, Lane County, central Oregon: Visitor7, CC BY SA 3.0 Unported, via Wikimedia Commons

After eight months pregnant Regilla was fatally kicked in the abdomen in 160 CE by her husband's freedman, Alcimedon, did Herodes Atticus genuinely or fakely grieve for his murdered wife?

The murder of wealthy 35-year-old Roman patrician Appia Annia Regilla Atilia Caucidia Tertulla (125-160 CE), known as Regilla, occurred in the same year as the appointment of her brother, Appius Annius Atilius Bradua, as consul. Bradua issued a murder charge against his brother-in-law, Herodes Atticus (Ancient Greek: Ἡρώδης ὁ Ἀττικός; Roman name: Lucius Vibullius Hipparchus Tiberius Claudius Atticus Herodes; 101-177 CE), a wealthy Athenian Greek rhetorician with Roman citizenship. The absence of public prosecutors in ancient Rome placed the pressing of charges within the purview of private parties (Chapter 4 Death in Athens and Murder Trial in Rome, page 123), according to American classicist and social historian Sarah B. Pomeroy (born March 13, 1938) in The Murder of Regilla: A Case of Domestic Violence in Antiquity, published in 2007. The trial took place in a senatorial court as "prosecutor, accused, and victim" all membered in the senatorial order.

Herodes Atticus denied ordering Alcimedon to commit the crime against his pregnant wife. Despite Herodes Atticus's assignment of guilt to his freedman, Alcimedon received no punishment.

Herodes Atticus explained his extreme expressions of grief to the senatorial court as exemplars of his innocence. Yet, his excessively public grief for Regilla and his extraordinary generosity toward Alcimedon and the freedman's twin daughters suggested guilt, as assessed by Sarah Pomeroy (page 125).

The senatorial court's verdict of the husband's nonguilt evinced interference from Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (April 26, 121-March 17, 180 CE), whose closeness to the accused preceded his recent assumption of the emperorship on March 7, 160 CE. In fact, their family ties traced back to "three generations to the emperor's maternal grandfather and Herodes' paternal grandfather" (Pomeroy, page 124). Marcus Aurelius's maternal grandfather was Publius Calvisius Tullus Ruso (ca. 75/76-109 CE). Herodes Atticus's paternal grandfather was Tiberius Claudius Hipparchus (ca. 30-95

Contrastingly, Roman Imperial period Greek sophist Philostratus (Ancient Greek: Φιλόστρατος Philostratos; ca. 170-245/250 CE) assessed Herodes Atticus favorably in The Lives of the Sophists (Greek: Βίοι σοϕιστῶν; Latin: Vitae Sophistarum). Philostratus published his two-book sophist-themed biography circa 230 to 238, approximately seven decades after the crime. He was born approximately seven years before Herodes Atticus's death.

The strength of Herodes Atticus's defense inhered in the impossibility of his ordering a crime against his wife and in the genuineness of his grief. Philostratus did not consider imperial influence in the court's verdict.

"Two things helped him in his defence. First that he had given orders for no such severe measures against Regilla; secondly, his extraordinary grief at her death. Even this was regarded as a pretence and made a charge against him, but nevertheless the truth prevailed," asserted Philostratus (Emily Wilmer Cave France Wright translation, 1922; Book II.556, pages 158-161).

Philostratus interpreted dedications in Regilla's name as genuine, for pretense would have offended the deities. Memorializing Regilla invited beneficence, not retribution.

"For he never would have dedicated to her memory so fine a theatre nor would he have postponed for her sake the casting of lots for his second consulship, if he had not been innocent of the charge; nor again would he have made an offering of her apparel at the temple of Eleusis, if he had been polluted by a murder when he brought it, for this was more likely to turn the goddesses into avengers of the murder than to win their pardon," considered Philostratus (Emily Wilmer Cave France Wright translation, 1922; Book II.556, pages 160-161).

The Odeon of Herodes (Greek: Ωδείο Ηρώδου του Αττικού) was constructed on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens (Ancient Greek: ἡ Ἀκρόπολις τῶν Ἀθηνῶν, hē Akrópolis tôn Athēnôn; Modern Greek: Ακρόπολη Αθηνών, Akrópoli Athinón) and was dedicated in 161 CE to Herodes's wife, Regilla, who was murdered in 160 CE in the eighth month of her pregnancy by a kick from one of her husband's freedmen, Alcimedon; Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, 11:44, image of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY SA 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons

In addition to establishing memorials to Regina, Herodes Atticus sought to impose reminders of his grief in his personal life. His grief-inspired home decor, however, engloomed his residence.

"He also altered the appearance of his house in her honour by making the paintings and decorations of the rooms black by means of hangings, dyes, and Lesbian marble, which is a gloomy and dark marble. And they say that Lucius, a wise man, tried to give Herodes advice about this, and since he could not persuade him to alter it, he turned him into ridicule" (Emily Wilmer Cave France Wright translation, 1922; Book II.556, pages 160-161).

Philostratus described Lucius as "renowned for learning" and "trained in philosophy by Musonius of Tyre." As a close friend of Herodes Atticus, Lucius companioned "with him when he was most deeply afflicted by his grief" and reminded the bereaved of the values of moderation, termed "the golden mean," and self-control that he used to practice.

"Herodes, in every matter that which is enough is limited by the golden mean, and I have often discoursed on it myself; and, moreover, I used to hear you also, at Olympia, commending the golden mean to the Greeks, and at that time you would even exhort rivers to keep their course in mid channel between their banks. But what has now become of all this advice? For you have lost your self-control, and are acting in a way that we must needs deplore, since you risk your great reputation" (Emily Wilmer Cave France Wright translation, 1922; Book II.557, pages 160-163).

Lucius's failed attempts to heal his grief-dwelling friend occasioned an angry distance. Yet, he finally perceived a clever ridicule.

"And he saw some slaves at a well that was in the house, washing radishes, and asked them for whose dinner they were intended. They replied that they were preparing them for Herodes. At this Lucius remarked: 'Herodes insults Regilla by eating white radishes in a black house.' This speech was reported indoors to Herodes, and when he heard it he removed the signs of mourning from his house, for fear he should become the laughingstock of wise men. . . ." (Emily Wilmer Cave France Wright translation, 1922; Book II.557, pages 162-163).

"Thus, then, his grief for Regilla was quenched . . ." (Emily Wilmer Cave France Wright translation, 1922; Book II.557, pages 162-163).

Witty wise man Lucius tried to convince Herodes Atticus to moderate his grief by reminding his friend of his recommendations to Greeks in Olympia concerning the value of the golden mean of moderation and of his encouragements to "rivers to keep their course in mid channel between their banks" (Philostratus, Book II.557, pages 160-161); Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, 14:51, image of River Kladeos (Κλάδεος) in Ancient Olympia (Ancient Greek: Ἀρχαία Ὀλυμπία; "Ancient Olympia"): George E. Koronaios, CC BY SA 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Witty wise man Lucius successfully strategized to reduce the excessive level of grief in his friend, Herodes Atticus, by ridiculing him for the insult of "eating white radishes in a black house," begloomed with black hangings and fixtures in mourning for his murdered wife (Philostratus, The Lives of the Sophists, Book II.556-558, pages 160-163); Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013, 11:12, image of white and red radishes, Eugene Saturday Market, Farmers Market Pavilion and Plaza, Park Blocks, Eugene, Oregon, Lane County, central Oregon: Visitor7, CC BY SA 3.0 Unported, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raphanus_sativus-1.jpg

The Odeon of Herodes (Greek: Ωδείο Ηρώδου του Αττικού) was constructed on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens (Ancient Greek: ἡ Ἀκρόπολις τῶν Ἀθηνῶν, hē Akrópolis tôn Athēnôn; Modern Greek: Ακρόπολη Αθηνών, Akrópoli Athinón) and was dedicated in 161 CE to Herodes's wife, Regilla, who was murdered in 160 CE in the eighth month of her pregnancy by a kick from one of her husband's freedmen, Alcimedon; Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, 11:44, image of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus: Holger Uwe Schmitt, CC BY SA 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:+ _5000_Zuschauer_fasst_das_Odeon_des_Herodes_Atticus._06.jpg

Witty wise man Lucius tried to convince Herodes Atticus to moderate his grief by reminding his friend of his recommendations to Greeks in Olympia concerning the value of the golden mean of moderation and of his encouragements to "rivers to keep their course in mid channel between their banks" (Philostratus, Book II.557, pages 160-161); Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2020, 14:51, image of River Kladeos (Κλάδεος) in Ancient Olympia (Ancient Greek: Ἀρχαία Ὀλυμπία; "Ancient Olympia"): George E. Koronaios, CC BY SA 4.0 International, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_river_Kladeos_in_Ancient_Olympia_on_October_14,_2020.jpg

For further information:

Borg, Barbara E. "Herodes Atticus in Rome: The Triopion Reconsidered." Pages 317-330. In: Catherine M. Draycott, Rubina Raja, Katherine Welch and William T. Wootton, eds., Visual Histories of the Classical World: Essays in Honour of R.R.R. Smith. Studies in Classical Archaeology, vol. 4. Turnhout, Belgium: Brepols Publishers, 2018.
Available via ResearchGate @ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340655030_Herodes_Atticus_in_Rome_The_Triopion_reconsidered_in_C_M_Draycott_R_Raja_K_Welch_and_W_T_Wootton_eds_Visual_Histories_of_the_Classical_World_Essays_in_Honour_of_RRR_Smith_Turnhout_Brepols_2019_317-30

Brun, Louis (zardoz). "Appius Annius Atilius Bradua (Annii)." Geneanet > Louis Brun's Family Tree.
Available via Geneanet @ https://gw.geneanet.org/zardoz?lang=en&n=annii&oc=0&p=appius+annius+atilius+bradua

Gleason, Maud W. "Making Space for Bicultural Identity: Herodes Atticus Commemorates Regilla." In: Walter Scheidel and Brent Shaw, eds., Princeton/Stanford Working Papers in Classics Paper No. 070801. July 1, 2008.
Available via SSRN (Social Science Research Network) @ https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1427349

Gleason, Maud W. "Making Space for Bicultural Identity: Herodes Atticus Commemorates Regilla." Pages 125-162. In: Tim Whitmarsh, ed., Local Knowledge and Microidentities in the Imperial Greek World. (Cambridge University Press, 2010) 125-162.
Available via Academia @ https://www.academia.edu/8957440/_Making_Space_for_Bicultural_Identity_Herodes_Atticus_Commemorates_Regilla_in_T_Whitmarsh_ed_Local_Knowledge_and_Microidentities_in_the_Imperial_Greek_World_Cambridge_University_Press_2010_125_162

Lutz, Cora E. (Elizabeth). "85. . . . If we take the stories of Philostratus at face value, we are confronted with a singular coincidence -- two Musonii with two Lucii as pupils! . . . . We know from two inscriptions (cf. note 66) that there was another Caius Musonius Rufus, possibly a grandson of our author, living in Athens in 140, but there is no evidence to indicate that he too was a philosopher. Since Philostratus is the only source for the two stories which are told about a philosopher Musonius and his pupil Lucius, and when we consider that by the time of Philostraus Musonius had become a legendary figure, it is not impossible to imagine that Philostratus made a mistake in chronology and connected the philosopher with the late emperor. I am inclined to accept this explanation in the case of Lucius too." Page 22. "Musonius Rufus 'The Roman Socrates.'" Pages 3-147. In: Alfred R. Bellinger, ed., Yale Classical Studies, vol. ten. New Haven CT: Yale University Press, MDCCCCXLVII [1947].
Available @ https://philocyclevl.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/yale-classical-studies-10-cora-e-lutz-ed-musonius-rufus_-the-roman-socrates-yale-university-press-1947.pdf

Marriner, Derdriu. "Did Herodes Atticus Have Eight Months Pregnant Wife, Regilla, Killed?" Earth and Space News. May 11, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/05/did-herodes-atticus-have-eight-months.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Herodes Atticus's Wife's Ancestral Estate Was Near Quintilii's Villa." Earth and Space News. Thursday, May 4, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/05/herodes-atticuss-wifes-ancestral-estate.html

Marriner, Derdriu. "Marcus Aurelius Liking Trojan Quintilii Brothers Upset Herodes Atticus." Earth and Space News. Thursday, April 27, 2023.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2023/04/marcus-aurelius-liking-trojan-quintilii.html

Parker, Charles Pomeroy. "Musonius the Etruscan." Pages 123-137. Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, vol. VII. Boston: Ginn & Company, London: Edward Arnold, Leipsig: Otto Harrassowitz, 1896.
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/harvardstudiesin07harvuoft/page/123/mode/2up

Pomeroy, Sarah B. The Murder of Regilla: A Case of Domestic Violence in Antiquity. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2007.
Available via Google Books @ https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Murder_of_Regilla/UsUJS9g6qHgC

Wright, [Emily] Wilmer Cave [France]. "A charge of murder was also brought against Herodes, and it was made up in this way. . . . This speech was reported indoors to Herodes, and when he heard it he removed the signs of mourning from his house, for fear he should become the laughingstock of wise men." Pages 158-163. Philostratus and Eunapius: The Lives of the Sophists, Book II.1.557-559, pages 162-169. The Loeb Classical Library. London: William Heinemann; New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, MCMXXII [1922].
Available via Google Books Read Free of Charge @ https://www.google.com/books/edition/Philostratus_and_Eunapius/NeYNAQAAIAAJ
Available via Internet Archive @ https://archive.org/details/philostratuseuna00phil/page/158/mode/1up