The meaning of the word philanthropist in ancient Rome. Who is a philanthropist? What does he do? The most famous philanthropists in the world

Everything in our life sooner or later acquires its meaning and name. Modern people call such a phenomenon as gratuitous assistance, patronage and assistance to development philanthropy, charity or sponsorship.

All these concepts are united by a single meaning, but there are still features that distinguish them. In Russia, from ancient times to this day, each of these directions has been present. A sponsor, a benefactor, a philanthropist are people who provide assistance, but can it be called absolutely free? Let's figure it out together...

Terminology - a ray of light in the wilds of concepts

So, there are people who are ready to give their “hard-earned money” to support and promote the development of literature, music, other art and simply people in need of help. Why not unite the heroes under one name? What are the nuances here?

A philanthropist is a person who provides selfless and free help to those in need. A person decides for himself where, how, to whom and with what he can help. Benefactors do not ask for anything in return and often provide assistance anonymously. Entire charitable foundations are being created where caring people can contribute to the misfortune (or development) of strangers: children, refugees, the sick, etc. Charitable collections often go to support nature or animals. By the way, not only money relates to charitable assistance.

A patron is a person who voluntarily and free of charge assists in the development of science and culture. He attracts his personal financial resources for this noble cause.

Sponsor - someone who invests money in the development and prosperity of someone or something. The sponsor can be either a person or whole organization. Sponsorship can also be received by a specific person, company, direction, idea or any other activity. The concept of “investor” is similar in meaning, but the sponsor, unlike the investor, does not receive material benefits from the invested funds. Although he has his own interest. Most often, sponsors provide funding to get exposure in the media.

One way or another, by providing free assistance, each person expects to receive something in return: gratitude, attention, personal peace of mind or the reverent joy of doing a good deed.

History of patronage in Russia

In Rome, during the reign of Octavian Augustus, Gaius Maecenas was the emperor's assistant and confidant. He was allowed a lot, Augustus listened to his opinion. Guy helped in every possible way creative people who fell out of favor with the political authorities. The name Maecenas has gone down in history as a common noun, denoting assistance, patronage, and financial support for scientists and artists.

Patronage in Russia originated in the 13th century as a branch of charity. Patrons of Russia are rich people who have achieved success in different areas. But they gained fame mainly through patronage.

MAECENAS

a disinterested patron who promotes the development of science and art, allocating for this financial assistance from personal funds.

Raizberg B.A., Lozovsky L.Sh., Starodubtseva E.B.. Modern economic dictionary. - 2nd ed., rev. M.: INFRA-M. 479 pp.. 1999 .

Economic dictionary. 2000 .

Synonyms:

See what "MACENATE" is in other dictionaries:

PAINTER, GUY CILNIUS (Gaius Cilnius Maecenas) (c. 70 8 BC), prominent Roman statesman, patron of the arts. The patron came from rich family and was proud of his Etruscan origin (Tsilniy is his mother’s name, ... ... Collier's Encyclopedia

- [lat., proper name. Maecenas (Maecenatis)] rich patron of the sciences or arts. Wed. SPONSOR. Dictionary foreign words. Komlev N.G., 2006. PAINTER Roman nobleman, patron learned poets. Now generally a nobleman, patron of education.... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

See patron... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and similar expressions. under. ed. N. Abramova, M.: Russian Dictionaries, 1999. philanthropist, benefactor, patron; sponsor Dictionary of Russian synonyms ... Synonym dictionary

Named after the wealthy Roman patrician Gaius Cilnius Maecenas (between 74 and 64 8 BC), who patronized artists and poets. His attention and generosity to people of art were glorified in their poems by the Roman poets Horace, Virgil, Propertius and others... Dictionary winged words and expressions

Maecenas, Guy Tsilniy; Maecenas, Gaius Cilnius, 70 8 BC e., Roman statesman and writer. He came from an aristocratic Etruscan family from Arretium (modern Arezzo), although his father’s family had already lived in Rome for several generations in a row and ... Ancient writers

A person who contributes free of charge to the development of science and art, providing them with material assistance from personal funds. Dictionary of business terms. Akademik.ru. 2001... Dictionary of business terms

- (Maecenas) (between 74 and 64 8 BC), a close associate of the Roman Emperor Augustus, who carried out his diplomatic, political, as well as private assignments. His patronage of poets made the name of Maecenas a household name... Modern encyclopedia

PAINTER, philanthropist, husband. (bookish and ironic). A wealthy patron of the arts and sciences. (Name of a wealthy Roman patrician of the Augustan era). Dictionary Ushakova. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

PAINTER, huh, husband. Wealthy patron of the arts and sciences; in general, one who patronizes what n. business, undertaking. Sports patrons. | wives philanthropist, etc. | adj. philanthropist, oh, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949… … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

- (Maecenas). Roman horseman, friend and adviser to Emperor Augustus, patron of Horace and Virgil. Died in 8 BC. (Source: " Brief dictionary mythology and antiquities." M. Korsh. Saint Petersburg, published by A. S. Suvorin, 1894.) ... Encyclopedia of Mythology

A philanthropist is a person who contributes free of charge to the development of science and art, providing them with material assistance from personal funds. In the common sense, a philanthropist is a person who financially helps art and science. Title... ...Wikipedia

Books

Patron of the arts, Mikhail Bondarenko. The name of this man has long become a household name. For two millennia, philanthropists have been those people who unselfishly and generously help talented poets, writers,...

Ushakov's Dictionary

Maecenas

metsena t, philanthropist, husband. (books And iron.). (Name of a wealthy Roman patrician of the Augustan era).

Political Science: Dictionary-Reference Book

Maecenas

(Maecenas) (between 74 and 64-8 BC)

in Dr. In Rome, a close associate of Emperor Augustus, who carried out his diplomatic, political, and private assignments. His patronage of poets made Maecenas a household name.

Modern economic dictionary. 1999

MAECENAS

a selfless patron who promotes the development of science and art, allocating material assistance for this from personal funds.

Dictionary of eponyms

Maecenas

wealthy patron of the arts and sciences.

Gaius Cilnius Maecenas (between 74–64 BC – 8 BC)

Roman statesman. He came from the ancient Etruscan family of the Cilnii and by birth belonged to the class of horsemen. Became on time civil war on the side of Augustus and often carried out his important orders. At the end of the war he lived in Rome and, in the absence of Octavian Augustus, was in charge of state affairs without holding any official position. Being the most influential and trusted friend and assistant of Augustus, he took an active part in all the actions of the emperor to organize the state and consolidate power. Ambition, envy, ill will were completely alien to him. He used his closeness to Augustus to restrain passionate impulses, which often drove the emperor to cruelty. The best poets of that time they found in Maecenas an attentive and caring patron and protector; his services to them are at the same time his services to Roman (Latin) poetry. An admirer of the foundations of Epicurean philosophy, Maecenas indulged in pleasures to an extent that even the Romans of that time seemed excessive. He died, warmly mourned by friends and all the people. He bequeathed all his property to Augustus.

Dictionary of forgotten and difficult words of the 18th-19th centuries

Maecenas

, A , m.; Patron, And , and.

A wealthy patron of the sciences and arts (named after a Roman rich man who lived in the 1st century BC).

* The time of enlightened patrons, the time of philanthropists has passed. // Ostrovsky. Lack of dowry // *

CHARACTERISTIC.

* This is what this lady thinks, who imagines herself to be a philanthropist, and smart, and God knows what. // Turgenev. Rudin // *

Dictionary of economic terms

Maecenas

a selfless patron who promotes the development of science and art by providing material assistance from his personal funds.

Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language (Alabugina)

Maecenas

A, m., book

A wealthy patron of the arts and sciences.

|| adj. philanthropic, oh, oh.

* Patron support. *

encyclopedic Dictionary

Maecenas

(Maecenas) (between 74 and 64-8 BC), in Dr. In Rome, a close associate of Emperor Augustus, who carried out his diplomatic, political, and private assignments. His patronage of poets made Maecenas a household name.

Ozhegov's Dictionary

METSEN A T, A, m. Wealthy patron of the arts and sciences; in general, the one who patronizes what. business, undertaking. Sports patrons.

| and. philanthropist, And.

| adj. philanthropic, oh, oh.

Efremova's Dictionary

Maecenas

m.
A wealthy patron of the arts and sciences.

Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Maecenas

(Gaius Cilnius Maecenas) - Roman statesman; came from the ancient Etruscan family of Cilnii; Born, it is believed, between 74 and 64. BC and by birth belonged to the class of horsemen. Convinced of the need for monarchical rule in Rome and considering Octavian to be the most consistent with the ideal of a ruler, he took his side during the civil war and often carried out his important assignments. Thus, he was among the ambassadors who were supposed to arrange the reconciliation of Anthony with Octavian in Brundusium; during the war with Sextus Pompey, he twice had to calm popular unrest in Rome; after the Battle of Actium, he destroyed the plans of the young Lepidus. At the end of the war, M. lived in Rome and, in the absence of Octavian Augustus, was in charge of state affairs, not holding any official position, but being, together with Agrippa, the most influential and trusted friend and assistant of Augustus and taking the most active part in all the actions of the emperor to organize the state and strengthen authorities. Ambition, envy, ill will were completely alien to him. In his relations with Augustus, he was free from servility and ingratiation and expressed his views with complete freedom, often completely opposite to the plans of the emperor. He used his closeness to Augustus to restrain passionate impulses, which often drove the emperor to cruelty. The words conveyed by Dion Cassius (Dio Cass., 54, 6) became historical: “Surge tandem, carn i fex!” (That's enough for you, butcher!), with which M. once kept Augustus from signing many death sentences. The best poets of that time found in M. an attentive and caring patron and protector; his services to them are at the same time his services to Roman (Latin) poetry. He helped Virgil against violence on the part of one centurion and worked to return to him the estate that had been taken from him, which the poet talks about in his “Georgica”. He gave his Sabine estate to Horace. A fan of the foundations of Epicurean philosophy, M. indulged in pleasures to an extent that even the Romans of that time seemed excessive. He died in 8 BC (746 from the founding of the city of Rome), warmly mourned by friends and all the people and bequeathing all his property to Augustus. Of his writings (mainly on natural history subjects), only fragments have survived. M.'s name as a fan fine arts and patron of poets, became a household name.

MAECENAS
Patron of the Arts, Guy Tsilny
(Gaius Cilnius Maecenas)
(c. 70-8 BC), outstanding Roman statesman, patron of the arts. The patron came from a wealthy family and was proud of his Etruscan origin (Tsilnius was his maternal name, since that was the customary name for the Etruscans). Nothing is known about the youth of Maecenas, but starting from the Battle of Philippi he was invariably under Octavian, the future Emperor Augustus, true friend and whose adviser he remained until the end of his life. In 40 and 38 BC. Octavian sent him with important assignments to Anthony, Maecenas contributed to the conclusion of the Tarentine agreement between them in 37 BC. During his absence in Rome (in 36-33 and 31-29 BC), Octavian retained Maecenas (in the second case, together with Marcus Vipsanias Agrippa). In 23 BC. The patron, wanting to save his brother-in-law Aulus Terrentius Varro Murena, made him understand that the conspiracy against Augustus, in which he took part, had been uncovered. Perhaps for this disloyalty he was removed from his position as the second man in the state (he became Agrippa, in whom Augustus saw his successor), but he did not lose Augustus’s friendship. Last years The Maecenas spent his life in the luxury and splendor of his palace on the Esquiline Hill, in the midst of the extensive gardens he laid out. Many works of art were found at this site, and the so-called. The "Patron's Hall" still stands on Merulana Street. It is assumed that this building served as a greenhouse or (more likely) a banquet hall. Dying, Maecenas bequeathed all his property to Augustus, and also entrusted it to the care of Horace, who, however, outlived his benefactor by only two months. The patron also became famous as a patron of writers and an insightful critic, and it was in this capacity that his name became a household name. Virgil, one of the first to enter the circle of Maecenas, attracted here in 38 BC. Horace (in 33 BC Maecenas granted Horace an estate in the Sabine Mountains). It was Maecenas who persuaded the poets to support Octavian and the new government system. The Epodes, Satires, Odes and Epistles of Horace are dedicated to Maecenas, as are the Georgics of Virgil, written at his direct order. Later, Propertius, the author of elegies, also joined this circle. Horace speaks of Maecenas as a simple and sincere person. The patron himself wrote both prose (criticized by later Roman authors) and poetry, but only fragments of his works have survived.
LITERATURE
Polonskaya K.P. Roman poets of the era of the Augustan Principate. M., 1963

Collier's Encyclopedia. - Open Society. 2000 .

Synonyms:

See what "MACENATE" is in other dictionaries:

- [lat., proper name. Maecenas (Maecenatis)] rich patron of the sciences or arts. Wed. SPONSOR. Dictionary of foreign words. Komlev N.G., 2006. PAINTER Roman nobleman, patron of learned poets. Now generally a nobleman, patron of education.... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

PAINTER, philanthropist, husband. (bookish and ironic). A wealthy patron of the arts and sciences. (Name of a wealthy Roman patrician of the Augustan era). Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

- (Maecenas). Roman horseman, friend and adviser to Emperor Augustus, patron of Horace and Virgil. Died in 8 BC. (

If you are on this page, it means you love Clever words and phrases. As a rule, the history of origin (etymology) is quite simple.

It consists of several Latin or Greek words. But the same cannot be said about the word “Patron”. This is exactly what we will talk about right now.

Who is a philanthropist

Maecenas is a person who provides free assistance from own funds for the development of science and art.

An interesting fact is that this beautiful word comes from a common name. This was the name of Gaius Cilnius Maecenas, a wealthy Roman who, during his reign, provided all possible support to the art of that time.

Contemporaries spoke of him as a very worthy husband. He never sycophantized or groveled before the rulers, although he was an extremely wealthy man.

Without holding any official position, Maecenas was one of the most influential people under Emperor Augustus. It was thanks to him that many projects for the organization of the Roman Empire were implemented and brought great benefit country.

Actually, after Maecenas went down in history as the patron of any creative aspirations, patrons began to be called everyone who supported science and art from their own pockets.

It is interesting that many philanthropists are famous along with those whom they supported. An example is the oligarchic Medici family, who regularly became rulers of Florence from the 13th to the 18th centuries.

History knows them mainly because they were key sponsors of many outstanding geniuses.

Patronage began to develop in the 18th century. The second half of the 19th century became a golden time for. In the rich country houses influential nobles could see unique monuments of Russian and European art, as well as extensive libraries.

Well, now you know who the patrons are. To remember this word, just use it a couple of times in conversation.

For example, you will see how a young father buys his offspring paints for painting. Don't miss the chance to joke:

- Yes, my friend, you are a philanthropist!

Now you will associate the word philanthropist with charity in favor of art and science, and not just with the name of the Roman figure Gaius Cilnius Maecenas.

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