The Comic History of Rome
Victorian satire of Rome blending togas with top hats.
In 1851, Bradbury and Evans published *The Comic History of Rome*, a humorous survey of ancient Roman history from its founding through the assassination of Julius Caesar. The text was written by the English humorist Gilbert Abbott à Beckett, with comic illustrations by John Leech, best known for his artwork in Charles Dickens’s *A Christmas Carol* (1843). In his introduction, à Beckett stated his earnest wish to combine instruction with amusement. To modern eyes, however, the humor often comes less from à Beckett’s somewhat dated prose than from Leech’s illustrations, which lampoon Victorian society by dressing Roman patricians in top hats and togas.
À Beckett and Leech first worked together on the staff of *Punch*, the humorous magazine first published in 1841 under editor Mark Lemon. *Punch* was famous for satirizing London society across all classes. The magazine’s staff met weekly for dinner and debate around the famous *Punch* table. After one such dinner in 1864, contributor Henry Silver noted in his unpublished diary that the Tory-leaning Leech “sneers at the Working Man, as usual.” Leech’s political and social views often put him at odds with more liberal colleagues; his cartoons frequently depicted the poor as stupid and the rich as frivolous. À Beckett, by contrast, showed sympathy for the poor, notably in his 1849 report on the Andover workhouse scandal while serving as a Poor Law Commissioner.
The pair first collaborated on *The Comic History of England* (1847–1848), for which Leech produced broadly humorous etchings. His illustrations for *The Comic History of Rome* were finer, particularly the minor woodcuts, which display graceful touches—such as the fair faces rising from the water in his depiction of Cloelia and her companions escaping the Etruscan camp. According to Dr. Caroline Wazer, Leech’s illustrations are “a Victorian fever dream of ancient Rome,” where senators pair togas with top hats, generals wear muttonchops under helmets, and priests styled as snake charmers use coal-powered rotating billboards to draw crowds. This blending of past and present, she argues, is a visual joke that drags Roman glories down to the level of the contemporary London street.
Leech’s illustrations sometimes follow à Beckett’s text closely—for instance, his full-color plate of Romulus and Remus shows the she-wolf straight out of *Little Red Riding Hood
- title
- The Comic History of Rome
- publication_year
- 1851
- publisher
- Bradbury and Evans
- author
- Gilbert Abbott à Beckett
- illustrator
- John Leech
- subject
- Ancient Rome (Foundation to Assassination of Julius Caesar)
- genre
- Humorous history
Lore & Background
Gilbert Abbott à Beckett and John Leech first worked together on the staff of the humorous magazine Punch, first published in 1841 under the editorship of Mark Lemon. Punch became famous for satirizing London society in the early Victorian era. The magazine's staff met weekly for dinner and debate around the Punch table. After one such dinner in 1864, contributor Henry Silver noted in his unpublished diary that the Tory-supporting Leech 'sneers at the Working Man, as usual.' Leech's political views often clashed with more liberal staff members; his cartoons frequently depicted the poor as stupid and the rich as frivolous. À Beckett, however, had sympathy for the poor, reflected in his actions as a Commissioner for the Poor Law when in 1849 he presented a valuable report to the Home Secretary regarding the Andover workhouse scandal.
Reader's Guide
The Comic History of Rome is significant as a Victorian-era attempt to combine instruction with amusement, as stated by à Beckett in his introduction. Its legacy lies primarily in John Leech's illustrations, which lampoon Victorian society by dressing ancient Romans in top hats and other contemporary attire. Dr. Caroline Wazer's essay notes that the blending of past and present in Leech's illustrations reinforces the humor of the text, dragging Roman glories down to the level of the contemporary London street. The work reflects the social and political tensions of its time, with Leech's conservative views contrasting with à Beckett's sympathy for the poor. The book remains a historical artifact of Punch magazine's satirical style and of mid-19th-century British humor, though its text is now considered dated. Its illustrations, however, continue to be appreciated for their wit and craftsmanship.
Did You Know?
- The book was published by Bradbury and Evans, with text by Gilbert Abbott à Beckett and illustrations by John Leech.
- John Leech was famous for his illustrations for Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol (1843).
- Leech's illustrations sometimes show senators pairing togas with top hats and generals wearing muttonchops under helmets.
- À Beckett presented a valuable report to the Home Secretary in 1849 regarding the Andover workhouse scandal while serving as a Poor Law Commissioner.
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