Nudism In Art, Literature , Cinema
The aim of this group is to encourage members to share their experiences from any type of art that proves that to be naked is to be oneself , that we were meant to be nude , that nudism is humane , that nudism is a protest against class and status pretentiousness - that nudism is freedom against society's hypocrisy and oppressiveness - that nudism can be a powerful spiritual experience - that...
- created by adamus2000
Spartacus TV Series
Return to DiscussionsI watched Spartacus a while back -- a year or so ago, I guess. I noticed there were a lot of nude scenes. But didn't think much about it.
I'm watching it again and decided to determine when it actually took place. Spartacus died in 71 AD. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. During that period of time, nudity was quit common and little, if anything, was thought of it. If nudity had any significance at all, it was a possible sign of poverty. However, nudity, per se, was not a cause for shame. If a freeborn wealthy Roman man were nude out in public, it would certainly be unusual, but not obscene or shameful. It would be very similar to seeing an attorney in a court room wearing t-shirt and jeans. Unusual? Yes. Shameful? No. Anyone whose job was dirty (farm work, smithing, dock work, fishing, or anything that would likely soil or wear out clothing) likely worked in the nude -- whether male or female -- child or adult. Slaves were commonly nude -- no point in wasting money on clothing for slaves. Except, of course, as a show of wealth; I'm so wealthy even my slaves wear clothing.
Even freeborn wealthy Roman men were nude in the public bathhouses. If men were engaged in any physical training, it was done in the nude.
So, back to Spartacus. The gladiators have a private bathhouse. If they were freeborn wealthy Roman men in a public bathhouse, they'd be nude. Yet more than half of the gladiators are shown wearing clothing while in their private bathhouse.
The gladiators train in a private enclosed training yard. If they were freeborn wealthy Roman men in a public training facility, they would likely be nude. Yet all of the gladiators are clothed while training.
There are numerous scenes that take place within the City of Capua. There should be nude people seen at all times in everyone of those city scenes. There should also be nude people seen among the spectators at the arena.
It would be amazing if someone made a series depicting events told in the Bible and made it as realistic as possible. Isaiah was nude for three years -- didn't even wear sandals. The prophets were nude. People worked in the nude -- including women. The mass baptisms were done outside in a river and everyone was nude.
There's a huge shift in wording of translations between pre- and post-Victorian.
In pre-Victorian translations, Ruth (of the book by that name) was told to put clothing on -- she had been out gleaning the fields and would have done so while nude. In post-Victorian translations, she's told to put her "good" clothing on, which she would not have owned. Few people among the general population owned more than one garment.
Post-Victorian tries to make it seem as if Isaiah was not "really" nude for three years. There are at least a couple of words in Hebrew that are translated nude/naked. The one used to describe Isaiah is the one that means naked as the day you were born. Post-Victorian translations almost universally treat this word as if it doesn't really mean nude. There is another word that is commonly translated as naked or nakedness that actually has nothing at all to do with being physically naked. It means emotionally exposed, vulnerable, at risk, compromised, in an uncomfortable position -- but never actually nude. The expression, "Don't uncover your sister's nakedness," has as much to do with physical nakedness as, "Don't sleep with your sister," has to do with sleeping.
Post-Victorian translations almost always add a qualifier regarding clothing. Put on your good clothing. He took of his outer garment. When "good" and "outer" are not in the original.
The word modesty originally meant, humble, abased, not showy, unpretentious. And we still use it in that sense in some contexts. If I said I had a modest house, you would not imagine that I meant it had closed shutters and there were draperies that always covered the windows. No. You'd think of a small house with no extras or flourishes. If I said I had a modest income, you'd understand that to mean that I earned enough to get by, but there was nothing left for extravagance.
When the Bible says to dress modestly, modest is set in contrast to wearing your fancy clothing, lots of jewelry, and elaborate hairstyles. In that context, nude would be very modest.
Nudity was very common throughout all of Bible times and continued to be common well afterward.
The early converts who accepted Messiah were baptized outside in a river in full view of anyone who happened to be in the vicinity. Many of the baptism were done en masse. They were always done in the nude. This is known from historical record and artistic depictions.
Keep in mind that Baptism -- by emersion -- was nothing new to Jewish society. And it was (still is as far as I know) always done in the nude. Can't even wear your wedding band -- because if you did, you would not be completely nude.
Many people believe that David actually fought Goliath nude, as often depicted in art. Two reasons. Shepherds and common soldiers were often nude, so it would not be unusual for David. Before the confrontation, the Bible says that David took off Saul's armor and tunic and says nothing about him putting his own clothes on.
I hadn't heard that before about David having fought Goliath while nude. But it makes sense. Nudity was extremely common and only a cause of shame because it implied poverty. But many occupations were carried out nude because of the possibility of soiling or damaging clothing -- sheepherding was probably one of them. People didn't have a wardrobe full of clothing. Typically, common people had one garment. They didn't have work clothing, play clothing, Sunday-go-to-meeting clothing, work-on-the-car clothing, and tennis clothing. They had a single garment, which was removed if there were any risk of soiling or damaging it.