panem et circenses

[VAE VICTUS]

ok i believe this to mean bread and games,anyone give me details on that and was it ever used to quiet riots and such?;also did rome become a sort of wellfare state ever?

[caesar44]

Even in republican rome , some 200,000 to 300,000 roman citizens received a free bred from the state just to maintain the peace in the city .
About the games - the origin is the Roman religion that was based on the Etruscan one . the rulers saw that they can get popularity by extracting lavish games . so yes , the city of Rome was based on bred and games and at the same time , on slavery .
The Romans...they were bad and they were the best ever ~D

[VAE VICTUS]

ok it seems that the phrase comes from juvenals satire, 5th i think.not sure.said that the roman people were only interested in panem et circences.
anyone know the proper pronounciation?

[Aenlic]

anyone know the proper pronounciation?

panem et circenses

Ancient Latin would be close to:

pun-em eht ker-ken-ses

Church Latin, after the 4th century or so would be:

pan-em eht seer-ken-sees

or

pan-em eht cheer-ken-sees