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Roman cameo glass

Vase excavated in Pompeii Portland Vase Morgan Cup

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Portrait Miniature of a Lady, John Smart, 1785

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Topino Lebrun, a revolutionary Jacobin close to Babeuf, executed under Bonaparte, is either forgotten or demonized

François Jean-Baptiste Topino-Lebrun, La Mort de Caius Gracchus (1798 Marseille, musée des Beaux-arts)

Topino Lebrun is an interesting revolutionary, though often overshadowed by other revolutionary artists like Jacques Louis David. According to the Annales Historiques de la Révolution Française, he was a lifelong patriot, whether as a student of Jacques Louis David or in Rome. Then, in 1793, he became a juror of the Revolutionary Tribunal, a position he maintained even after 9 Thermidor.

Although a democrat and a staunch Jacobin, close to the revolutionary Antonelle (who is featured in a post here: Antonelle), and a subscriber to the Tribun du Peuple, he may have transmitted a text written in prison that became issue 34 of Tribun du Peuple. While he sympathized with Babeuf, he was by no means a Babouvist, at least not involved in the Conspiracy, contrary to popular belief. However, he was part of the "Société du Manège," where former Jacobins gathered at the Manège Hall of the Tuileries (according to the website Les Amis de Gracchus Babeuf, this society had 3,000 members, including former Babouvists like Drouet, Félix Lepeletier, etc.). Claude Mazauric places Topino Lebrun in the Directorial Left, close to Marc-Antoine Jullien and Antonelle, but not within Babouvism.

Now, where there is uncertainty is in understanding Topino Lebrun's true intentions when painting La mort de Caius Gracchus translate in english The Death of Caius Gracchus (which he began in 1792). Was he aiming, by the time of its completion, to make the painting a tribute to Babeuf, who had recently been executed by guillotine? Claude Mazauric believes it is not a Babouvist propaganda painting but "a sort of specific contribution to the maintenance of the revolutionary myth in the national consciousness," though there is a tribute to the revolutionary tribune. According to the Amis de Gracchus Babeuf, Topino Lebrun intended for this painting to allude to Babeuf's death, making it a homage.

In 1800, following the royalist-led attack on Rue Saint-Nicaise, Bonaparte seized the opportunity to eliminate the Jacobins (as discussed here: The Jacobins Executed by Bonaparte). Topino Lebrun's artist friend, Giuseppe Ceracchi, was implicated in the so-called "Opera Dagger Plot" (a fabricated scheme) and was tortured. To stop the pain, the poor Ceracchi gave up Topino Lebrun's name (or perhaps he was forced to mention him, given Topino Lebrun's association with the republican and Jacobin opposition). Through torture, a role was fabricated for Topino Lebrun, who was falsely accused of supposedly supplying twelve daggers to conspirators. Thus, a dark legend arose about him as an assassin, or in the words of Claude Mazauric, "an unaltered blood-drinker." Bonaparte said of him and his comrades, "these craftsmen, reinforced by these painters (presumably referring to Ceracchi and Topino Lebrun, among others), have a fiery imagination, a bit more education than the people, they live among the people and exert influence over them."

Thus, five years after Babeuf, Topino Lebrun joined him on the scaffold.

Sources:

Claude Mazauric: Annales Historiques de la Révolution Française, report on the painter Topino Lebrun.

Exhibition by the Association Les Amis de Gracchus Babeuf.

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Gracchus Babeuf's Opinion on Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon Bonaparte's rise immediately alarmed Gracchus Babeuf. In his newspaper Le Tribun du Peuple, in issue 41, he wrote: “Wasn't it foolish to believe that the revolution had been made for us? How fortunate for our leaders! Should we not have been flattered to see the Directory give our general Buonaparte 800,000 francs to establish his household?” Babeuf asserts that Jourdan was more deserving and reliable than Bonaparte: "It is said that the same means were tried with Jourdan... But it is said that Jourdan, very little moved by these flattery, remains the general of Liberty and continues to deserve the trust of the People and the soldiers" (Tribun du Peuple, no. 41, p. 276).

Reading the Ami des Lois newspaper, dated February 4, 1797, while imprisoned in Vendôme shortly before his execution, Babeuf wrote the following annotation: "Buonaparte, the victor of Lombardy, thought that this title authorized him to dictate the organization of the government of this country. He asked for a list of good citizens from all classes to form a general council provisionally representing the people of Milan while they could establish themselves. There is no doubt," adds the journalist, "that he will meet with the Cispadane peoples and form with them one indivisible republic.” Even in prison, Babeuf was not disconnected from reality. Like his friend Antonelle, he foresaw the ever-present danger of military dictatorship (and they were not alone). The Babouvist named Sylvain Maréchal clearly sensed that Bonaparte could be that military dictator. Maréchal addressed Bonaparte in these words: "Bonaparte! Your glory is a dictatorship... If you permit yourself this style in Italy, addressing the Cisalpine Directory, I see nothing that could prevent you from using the same style one day, addressing the French Directory. I see nothing that assures me that, in the next Germinal, during our primary assemblies, you won’t repeat from the depths of your rooms in the Luxembourg Palace: 'People of France! I will compose a legislative body and an executive Directory for you. I see nothing that could prevent the general, who drinks to the health of His Majesty the Emperor before drinking to the French Republic, from coming to the National Palace: I will give you a king in my own way, or tremble. Your disobedience will be punished.'"

It should be remembered that on the 9th of Ventôse in the year IV, one of Bonaparte’s acts as Commander-in-Chief of the Army of the Interior was to close the Pantheon club.

In any case, Bonaparte would not forget the Neo-Jacobins, whether they were Babouvists ( including arresting his wife Marie-Anne Victoire Babeuf , Albertine Marat who had some political ties with Gracchus Babeuf, etc...) , anti-Babouvists, or pro-liberal (like Bernard Metge, a staunch supporter of the Constitution of Year III, who calls the Babouvists' ideology lazy but is a fierce opponent of Sieyès), or the most neutrals like the Hébertist Audouin if I am not mistaken or Victor Bach whose name was removed from the list only when authorities learned of his death (who, originally on the list of those to be deported, was removed either by the intervention of Gaspard Monge, who was close to both Bonaparte and the Audouin, or because Bonaparte mistakenly hoped to rally Audouin's father-in-law, Jean Nicolas Pache an important revolutionary Hébertist who left the political scene and friend of Gaspard Monge). However, an interesting fact is that when Bonaparte, in 1800, called the jacobins Septembriseurs said they are guilty despite knowing they were innocent of the Rue de Nicaise assassination attempt (I am sure of this because even when he discovered that the royalists were the culprits, he refused to listen), he declared he wanted them shot or deported. Only two people among his advisors openly opposed him to the point that he did not dare say anything (although he would later carry out his threats, executing some Jacobins after forced confessions under fake torture, including Babeuf's friend Topino Lebrun and especially his friend Giuseppe Ceracchi). It was not Fouché, as commonly believed. It was Admiral Truguet who warned against this "Bonapartist Terror" as called Victor Daline in his article , as well as François Réal, an Hébertist and defender of the Babouvists to the point that Camille Babeuf had asked for his help while he was seized by madness. Ironically, Réal would become Count of the Empire. After a chilling silence, Bonaparte became even angrier at them (especially François Réal and Admiral Truguet, who had openly opposed him regarding the fate of the Jacobins) and had to suspend the session. Cambacérès found a way to bypass the issue by carrying out deportations without trial through the Senate, while Fouché and Prefect Dubois threatened the diligent police commissioner Gauthier-Biauzat when he saw that the evidence against the Jacobins, particularly Arena, Demerville, Cerrachi, and Topino Lebrun, was lacking. Biauzat even stated that it was a return to the Old Regime (where Louis XVI had abolished torture during interrogations).

P.S: I hesitated to include the opinion of Buonarroti, one of the fiercest opponents of Bonaparte, but it would require a separate article. I should also write a post one day on how Cambacérès, a jurist, carried out illegal acts, though it would be a brief post.

Sources: Bernard Gainot, Itinéraire démocratique post-thermidorien Victor Daline, Napoléon et les Babouvistes Antoine Resche

P.S: For the mysterious circumstances of Victor Bach's death, it's here All information is welcome

and here about the break between Fouché and Babeuf https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/767448240197140480/excerpts-from-letters-and-chapters-of-historians?source=share

about Bernard Metge https://www.tumblr.com/nesiacha/756533326215528448/the-jacobins-executed-by-bonaparte?source=share

About Topino-Lebrun:

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Lagerfeld’s Studio 54 Versailles Party

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The enigmatic emperor Caracalla. Lucius Septimius Bassianus, renamed Marcus Aurelius Antoninus at age 7, was born on April 4, 188 in Lugdunum, Gaul (Lyon, France). Like 'Caligula', he's known by a nickname rather than his name.

His father, Septimius Severus, became the first Roman emperor of North African origin in 192; His mother, Julia Domna, was a noble lady of Arab origin born in Emesa (Homs, Syria)

Publius Septimius Geta was born in Rome, 11 months after his brother 'Caracalla'. All historical sources claim that they never had a brotherly relationship. According to historians, Geta was more appreciated by the Senate and the people than his brother. Herodian wrote that they constantly fought for any reason and "it was impossible to hide the rivalry between the brothers, although the emperor Septimius tried in vain to keep this from being known".

An unusual empress

Busts of Julia Domna. Photos :Bibi Saint-Pol, and Daderot (CC)

Julia Domna always accompanied her husband in all the campaigns, the reign of Septimius Severus was extremely militarized. She received the title Mater Castrorum (Mother of the legionary camps). She made political decisions directly, something unprecedented in Rome for a woman. After the death of Septimius, Julia Domna was granted the titles: Mater Senatus and Mater Patriae (Mother of the Senate, Mother of the Nation). She was a scholar in Philosophy, and had a notable influence on that subject. She was involved in several architectural projects including the famous Caracalla Baths, enormous work planning by her husband and completed by her son. She was highly respected by the Senate throughout her reign (192-217).

"Let there be peace among you both, pay the army well and forget the rest". -Septimius Severus to his children on his deathbed

'Geta Dying in his Mother's Arms' by Jacques Pajou

Britannia, February 4, 211: The emperor died of natural causes, accompanied by his family. Caracalla and Geta, aged 22 and 21, had been emperors with their father since childhood, but after the death of Septimius, as expected, such co-government would not last long.

According to contemporary historian of that period, Herodian : "The co-emperors constantly quarreled and feared that one of them would poison the other, so they did not eat at the same table."

Rome, December 27, 211: 'Caracalla' ordered the execution of Geta, claiming to have discovered that his brother was plotting to assassinate him. The execution carried out by two centurions was in the presence of Julia Domna. Following this he ordered the execution of all Geta's supporters, among them Lucius Aurelius, the only grandson of Marcus Aurelius, son of Lucilla and Pompeianus.

The curious thing is that empress didn't leave her son Caracalla; This caused the Empress to lose popularity among the people, especially in the eastern provinces.

It doesn't matter your ethnicity nor hometown; If you were born in Roman territory so you're a Roman.

In 212 he decreed a revolutionary edict that granted Roman citizenship to every free man and woman living in Roman territory, and from then on every free child born in the Roman Empire was Roman. This was criticized by historians contemporary with him, but modern historians agree that he simply understood what the Roman elite refused to understand. For them, Rome was a city-state and the other territories were the property of Rome; Only those born in the city were Romans, those from southern Italy, and certain privileged people who obtained Roman citizenship. 'Caracalla' was living proof that the elite had an anachronistic vision; being emperor of Rome he was a descendant of Arabs and Berbers, and born in Gaul; Evidently it was no longer the city-estate of the Romans but the capital of a multiethnic world called Rome.

An awesome site

Baths of Caracalla. Reconstruction made by team of 'History in 3D'

The Caldarium (sauna) was built in the Pantheon style and the vestibule was in basilica style; Just two simple parts of a baths building were something magnificent in themselves. It was an immense complex that, in addition to the typical cold, warm, and hot baths, dressing room, massage and beauty salons, included two libraries, gym, impressive swimming pools, a stadium , vast gardens, a small museum with exhibitions of works of art, and a shopping center with a wide variety of businesses.

The Alexandria Massacre

After a trip through the eastern provinces, in December 215 he arrived in Alexandria. The Alexandrians, outraged by the death of emperor Geta, began to public perform plays of satire mocking Caracalla and in which they called empress mother "Jocasta." According to the famous legend, Jocasta was the mother of Oedipus who, after killing his father, had married his own mother. Upon discovering this his wrath was such that ordered a massive executions. Caracalla attacked the city with his troops for several days, in a kind of personal war against Alexandria.

Unexpected death

Gold medal bust of Caracalla with the shield of Alexander the Great. By Sailko /CC BY 3.0 /wikimedia commons.

In 216 he offered King Artabanus IV of Parthia to marry his daughter, but the king rejected the offer. Caracalla took advantage of this "snub" to start a campaign against the Parthian empire. He began attacking the countryside east of the Tigris. In early 217 he was in Edessa (modern Şanlıurfa,Turkey) preparing to restart the campaign.

On April 8, 217, four days after his 29th birthday, he was traveling to a temple near Carras (Harran, southern Turkey) and when he stopped to urinate, the praetorian soldier Martialis assassinated him with his sword. According to historical sources, the Prefect of the Praetorian Guard, Macrinus commissioned him to assassination. Martialis was executed immediately after Caracalla's death, and three days later Macrinus proclaimed himself emperor.

Empress Julia Domna was in Antioch, upon learning of the assassination decided to take her own life.

This seems like the end of The Severan dynasty, however it wasn't. Julia Maesa, older sister of Julia Domna, was a strong lady.

In her hometown, Emessa, where Macrino had forced her to return, she took advantage of the fact that it was a place with an important military base. She organized with the legions a war against the usurper Macrinus. She placed his grandson Elagabalus on the throne on May of 218. Macrinus, who had fled to Cappadocia, was executed two months later. After Heliogabalus, his cousin Alexander Severus ruled until 235.

"I know that none of you like what I do, that's why I have weapons and troops: so that at no time do I have to worry about what you say about me." -Caracalla to the Senate

Emperor Caracalla. Marble. Acquired from Rome, Italy, in 1875. Altes Museum, Berlin. Photo: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP (Glasg) CC BY-SA 4.0- Wikimedia Commons

He is known as 'Caracalla' because that is what the Romans called a Gallic garment with a hood that they say this emperor didn't take off even to sleep.

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Doodle dump (kind of)

Exam year is killing me help. (Also I know I drew Napoleon with the wrong uniform collar thing in one of these but shhh🙏🙏)

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Baiae, one of the most impressive underwater archaeological parks in the world

Baiae was a favourite destination for aristocrats and the powerful of the empire, and many Roman emperors even had a house in the city.

Between the 7th and 8th centuries, tectonic movements caused much of the coast between Pozzuoli and Cumae, including Baiae, to sink. Baiae was discovered by a diver in the 1960s and is now an important reference point for underwater archaeology. Remains of monuments have been found, such as a room from the imperial palace from the 1st century, a sculptural group depicting the Cyclops Polyphemus and a statue of Antonia the Younger, mother of the Emperor Claudius.

Photos: © Pasquale Vassallo Parco Archeologico sommerso di Baia. Centro Sub Campi Flegrei

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Congress of Vienna yaoi?!!

I have no idea if there's an audience for this out there but they've been rotting my brain so

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Dear friends, today is my birthday, and I would be glad to see your reblogs of my arts and some kind words for me ❤️‍🔥

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Reference and a bonus video under the cut (did you know you can't upload more than 1 video in a post? Cause I didn't 🫠)

Bonus video of me repenting for my sins for forgetting a certain someone...

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Napoleon & Junot (（＾＿＾）☆

Egypt Campaign Generals ( ^ω^ )

Naps after ditching Kleber in Egypt 💀 (btw i’m aware that Naps just sent a letter to Kleber and left, but I thought this was funnier LOL)

Anyways they’re on a sail boat bc I’m too lazy to draw a whole ship.

Also feel free to request any napoleonic era art or ask any questions and I’ll try to respond. However, I just started my first year of college so art reqs will take a while lol.

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Bernadotte family (1837)

Fredric Westin (Swiss, 1782-1862)

Bernadotte’s son (Oscar) marrying the daughter of Napoleon’s step-son Eugene is one of those funny quirks in history, Napoleon and Bernadotte were by no means friends yet they get finding themselves in these distant familial relations. Of course Napoleon was dead by that point, but it’s like everyone’s family got on a throne except for Napoleon’s direct one.

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Amiens Cathedral, France is a Catholic church that was built in 1220 and completed in 1269. This building belongs to the Gothic style, which developed between the mid-12th century and the beginning of the 16th century.

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Due to an emergency, I will be selling some my Napoleon collection. My dog needs a very expensive surgery 💔

I will offer them here before eBay.