Gregory Aldrete

We see ourselves as free agents just floating along, not tethered to what came before. The classical story that I sometimes tell my classes to illustrate this is – Rome started out as a monarchy. They had kings. They were kind of unhappy with their kings around 500 BC. They held a revolution and they kicked out the kings.

We see ourselves as free agents just floating along, not tethered to what came before. The classical story that I sometimes tell my classes to illustrate this is – Rome started out as a monarchy. They had kings. They were kind of unhappy with their kings around 500 BC. They held a revolution and they kicked out the kings.

We see ourselves as free agents just floating along, not tethered to what came before. The classical story that I sometimes tell my classes to illustrate this is – Rome started out as a monarchy. They had kings. They were kind of unhappy with their kings around 500 BC. They held a revolution and they kicked out the kings.

And one of the guys who played a key role in this was a man named Lucius Junius Brutus, okay? 500 years later, 500 years down the road. A guy comes along, Julius Caesar, who starts to act like a king. So if you have trouble with kings in Roman society, who are you going to call? Somebody named Brutus.

And one of the guys who played a key role in this was a man named Lucius Junius Brutus, okay? 500 years later, 500 years down the road. A guy comes along, Julius Caesar, who starts to act like a king. So if you have trouble with kings in Roman society, who are you going to call? Somebody named Brutus.

And one of the guys who played a key role in this was a man named Lucius Junius Brutus, okay? 500 years later, 500 years down the road. A guy comes along, Julius Caesar, who starts to act like a king. So if you have trouble with kings in Roman society, who are you going to call? Somebody named Brutus.

Now, as it happens, there is a guy named Brutus in Roman society at this time who is one of Julius Caesar's best friends, Marcus Junius Brutus. Now, before I go further with the story – and I think you probably know where it ends – I should talk about how important your ancestors are in Roman culture.

Now, as it happens, there is a guy named Brutus in Roman society at this time who is one of Julius Caesar's best friends, Marcus Junius Brutus. Now, before I go further with the story – and I think you probably know where it ends – I should talk about how important your ancestors are in Roman culture.

Now, as it happens, there is a guy named Brutus in Roman society at this time who is one of Julius Caesar's best friends, Marcus Junius Brutus. Now, before I go further with the story – and I think you probably know where it ends – I should talk about how important your ancestors are in Roman culture.

I mean, if you went to an aristocratic Roman's house and opened the front door and walked in, the first thing you would see would be a big wooden cabinet. And if you open that up, what you would see would be row after row of wax death masks. So when a Roman aristocrat died, they literally put hot wax on his face and made an impression of his face at that moment.

I mean, if you went to an aristocratic Roman's house and opened the front door and walked in, the first thing you would see would be a big wooden cabinet. And if you open that up, what you would see would be row after row of wax death masks. So when a Roman aristocrat died, they literally put hot wax on his face and made an impression of his face at that moment.

I mean, if you went to an aristocratic Roman's house and opened the front door and walked in, the first thing you would see would be a big wooden cabinet. And if you open that up, what you would see would be row after row of wax death masks. So when a Roman aristocrat died, they literally put hot wax on his face and made an impression of his face at that moment.

And they hung these in a big cabinet right inside the front door. So every time you entered your house, you were literally staring at the faces of your ancestors. And every child in that family would have obsessively memorized every accomplishment of every one of those ancestors. Right. He would have known their career, what offices they held, what battles they fought in, what they did.

And they hung these in a big cabinet right inside the front door. So every time you entered your house, you were literally staring at the faces of your ancestors. And every child in that family would have obsessively memorized every accomplishment of every one of those ancestors. Right. He would have known their career, what offices they held, what battles they fought in, what they did.

And they hung these in a big cabinet right inside the front door. So every time you entered your house, you were literally staring at the faces of your ancestors. And every child in that family would have obsessively memorized every accomplishment of every one of those ancestors. Right. He would have known their career, what offices they held, what battles they fought in, what they did.

When somebody new in the family died, there would be a big funeral and they would talk about all the things their ancestors had did. The kids in the family would literally take out those masks, tie them onto their own faces and wear them in the funeral procession. So you were like wearing the face of your ancestors. Right. So you as an individual weren't important.

When somebody new in the family died, there would be a big funeral and they would talk about all the things their ancestors had did. The kids in the family would literally take out those masks, tie them onto their own faces and wear them in the funeral procession. So you were like wearing the face of your ancestors. Right. So you as an individual weren't important.

When somebody new in the family died, there would be a big funeral and they would talk about all the things their ancestors had did. The kids in the family would literally take out those masks, tie them onto their own faces and wear them in the funeral procession. So you were like wearing the face of your ancestors. Right. So you as an individual weren't important.

You were just the latest iteration of that family. And there was enormous weight, huge weight to live up to the deeds of your ancestors. So the Romans were absolutely obsessed with the past, especially with your own family. Every Roman kid who was, let's say, in a wrist crack family could tell you every one of his ancestors back centuries. I can't go beyond my grandparents. I don't even know.

You were just the latest iteration of that family. And there was enormous weight, huge weight to live up to the deeds of your ancestors. So the Romans were absolutely obsessed with the past, especially with your own family. Every Roman kid who was, let's say, in a wrist crack family could tell you every one of his ancestors back centuries. I can't go beyond my grandparents. I don't even know.