The curse of memory (Damnatio memoriae) is a form of death penalty that was widely used in ancient Rome. Participants of conspiracies, coups, usurpers of power and government officials who committed crimes against the empire were subjected to the curse of memory. In the modern world, one can also see how statesmen and participants in political processes are subjected to the curse of memory.
The Curse of Memory in Ancient Rome
After the execution or death of a state criminal, any mention of him was destroyed. Statues, frescoes, wall and gravestone inscriptions, various mentions in chronicles, historical documents and laws - all this was subject to destruction. Sometimes the curse of memory directly concerned all members of the families of state criminals - they were simply executed.
It often happened that the curse of memory was not absolute. For example, the cruel emperor Nero was cursed after his death, however, after some time, the emperor Vitellius returned the name of the tyrant to the history of Rome. Emperor Commodus was also once cursed but successfully deified under Cyptimius Severus.
They also wanted to subject the bloody emperor Caligula to the curse of memory, but Claudius' trailer opposed this.
The only emperor whose memory curse has never been challenged is Domitian. This emperor pursued an autocratic policy, revived the imperial cult and oppressed dissent in every possible way, appointing himself the chief censor. He fought fiercely against the Stoic philosophers. Gradually, around Domitian, the senators formed a large opposition. The emperor was killed as a result of a state conspiracy. His death marked the end of the Flavian dynasty.
In 356 BC, a resident of the city of Ephesus, Herostratus, wanted to become famous and for this he burned the temple of Artemis. This simple man wanted to go down in history so that his descendants would remember him, but he did not succeed. In addition to the death penalty, he was also sentenced to death penalty - forgetting the name or Damnatiomemoriae. The name of this criminal has come down to our time thanks to the ancient Greek historian Theopompus, who told in his chronicles about the crime, execution and revealed to the descendants the name of the criminal. It turns out that Herostratus nevertheless achieved his goal.
Curse of memory in modern history
A prime example of Damnatiomemoriae occurred under George Washington. The brilliant officer Benedict Arnold at the Battle of Bemis Heights managed to repel the British raid and by his actions led the British army to defeat. This battle was truly a turning point in the War of Independence. At the end of the battle, Benedict Arnold was seriously wounded in the leg, so he was forced to leave the active army.
Arnold became almost a national hero, whose actions were highly appreciated by George Washington. After his recovery, Arnold was promoted to commandant of Philadelphia. Here the hero of America began to lead a truly luxurious lifestyle and was soon accused of abuse of office and illegal enrichment. Exorbitant debts and constant need for money pushed Benedict Arnold to outright betrayal. He entered into an agreement with the British and was going to hand over Fort West Point to them for $ 20,000. The conspiracy was discovered, but the former hero of the Revolutionary War still managed to escape to England, where he lived until his death.
It is curious that in 1887 a monument was erected in honor of the foot of Benedict Arnold, and without specifying his name.
Some signs of the curse of memory can also be seen in the modern anti-terrorist legislation of the Russian Federation. In Western practice, this term is applied to the sudden disappearances from the history of victims of political processes of the 20th century.
