by Doug Stephens

Created on: July 28, 2009

Coriolanus was a legendary Roman general, whose exploits in the 5th century B.C.E., served to bolster the Romans' faith in their own power and superiority in military affairs. Whether the general actually existed, or if his story is a compilation of others' deeds and a morality tale is secondary to the power his legend held for the Roman people. It is a tale of valor, disloyalty, revenge, redemption and boasts of the strength of the Roman sword.

Coriolanus, according to his legend, was born Gaius Marcius, and was awarded his new name, and a generalship, in recognition of his bravery and leadership during battle at the city of Corioli, a Volscian possession. The Volscians were a major rival of the Romans at this time in history.

His further victories against the Volscians led to political power in Rome, power that he used to try to restrict the working class plebeians from gaining more rights. In 491 B.C.E. he attempted to take political advantage of a drought by advocating that the people not receive grain from the government unless they spoke out against the plebeians gaining a public voice. In the course of his political wrangling he fell from favor, was charged with multiple offences, and was banished from Rome.

Furious at his treatment by the city he loved and fought for, and determined to seek revenge, Coriolanus approached the Volscians. He pleaded that they break the uneasy truce that existed with Rome, and that he be allowed to march a Volscian army against his former home. The Volscians agreed, yet when Coriolanus came upon Rome, he was met not by soldiers but by the women of Rome, including his own wife and mother, who threw themselves at his feet and begged him not to destroy their home.

The man born as Gaius Marcius could not ignore the pleading of the women of his life and he led the Volscians away from Rome. In return, the Volscians put him on trial for his offences against them, and he was assassinated during the trial.

The story of Coriolanus highlights Roman strength of arms during a time when Romans needed a moral boost. The Voscians were a tough rival. They won many battles against the Romans, and came close to destroying the Roman civilization completely. Yes, this story tells a tale of Volscians marching on Rome, but who was the leader of this army? A Roman himself.

Further, as a morality tale, it shows that disloyalty to Rome, even when redeemed (as when Coriolanus was persuaded to march away from Rome), leads to death and dishonor.

Ancient historians, Plutarch among them, regarded his tale as truth and fact. Today, most historians regard the life of Coriolanus as mostly legend. Truth or not, legend or no, the story of Coriolanus sheds light on the history of Rome, and the attitudes and behavior of the people who lived during that time period.

The story of Coriolanus lives on, even today. It serves as a basis for a Shakespearian tragedy, and the 1804 Coriolan, by Austrian dramatist Heinrich Joseph von Collin, for which Ludwig van Beethoven wrote his Coriolan Overture.

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