off track when interpreting Juvenal’s phrase “bread and circuses.” The phrase originated in the Roman satirist Juvenal’s 10th satire and is a scathing rebuke of the Roman people, who, according to Juvenal, fecklessly surrendered their power to judge crimes and oversee the state. However, the poem emphasizes that asking for power and honors is vain and self-destructive, urging individuals to focus on what they can achieve themselves. Contrary to common interpretations, Juvenal does not suggest that the people were bribed into surrendering their republic. Instead, they were subjected to violence and suppression by powerful figures like Crassus and Pompey.
https://acoup.blog/2024/12/20/collections-on-bread-and-circuses/