What subjects did Juvenal criticize in his 16 Satires about Roman life?
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George Bernard Shaw speaking about the novelty of technology; excerpt from a Hearst Metrotone newsreel (c. 1930). (29 sec; 2.6 MB)
In his 16 Satires, Juvenal critiqued the corruption of Roman society and the follies and brutalities of mankind. His work targeted a wide range of subjects:
- Social and Moral Decay: He denounced the vice, crime, and misuse of wealth prevalent in Rome, as well as the sexual depravity and arrogance of Roman women (Satire 6) and the behavior of male homosexuals (Satires 2 and 9).
- Class and Status: He attacked the cult of hereditary nobility (Satire 8) and the hardships faced by impoverished Roman intellectuals (Satire 7).
- Political and Institutional Criticism: He mocked the pettiness of the emperor Domitian (Satire 4) and began a critique of the privileges held by professional soldiers (Satire 16).
- Human Folly and Ethics: He criticized the life of dependency on patrons (Satires 3 and 5), the foolish extravagance of the wealthy (Satire 11), the greed of parents (Satire 14), and the dangers of misguided human ambition (Satire 10). He also explored themes of friendship (Satires 12 and 13) and human savagery (Satire 15).