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Bread and circuses" (or bread and games; from Latin: panem et circenses) is a metonymic phrase referring to superficial appeasement. It is attributed to Juvenal (Satires, Satire X), a Roman poet active in the late first and early second century AD, and is used commonly in cultural, particularly political, contexts.
BREAD AND CIRCUSES definition: 1. activities or official plans that are intended to keep people happy and to stop them from…. Learn more.
Apr 5, 2023 · Bread and circuses was a term used in ancient Rome to describe the Emperor’s policy of providing free food and entertainment to the people in order to keep them happy and content. This was seen as a way to prevent revolution and keep the people from rebelling against the government.
Jun 7, 2024 · Key Takeaways. "Bread and circuses" refers to pacifying people with food and entertainment to prevent them from taking action on civic duties. The concept was first described by the Roman poet Juvenal during the transition from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire.
The phrase “bread and circuses” is often used to describe a government’s strategy of keeping its citizens happy through superficial means, rather than addressing deeper issues.
Sep 1, 2018 · The phrase bread and circuses means: something offered as a means of distracting attention from a problem or grievance. —Cf. also the phrase bread and roses.
Sep 24, 2024 · The meaning of BREAD AND CIRCUSES is a palliative offered especially to avert potential discontent.
People use bread and circuses to talk about a situation in which a government provides people with things which seem to make their lives more enjoyable in order to stop them complaining about important problems.
A phrase used by a Roman writer to deplore the declining heroism of Romans after the Roman Republic ceased to exist and the Roman Empire began: “Two things only the people anxiously desire — bread and circuses.”
Bread And Circuses definition: Offerings, such as benefits or entertainments, intended to placate discontent or distract attention from a policy or situation.
