Issued Barley Instead of Wheat [first version] (John Beaver, Roman Military Punishments, 1725) 1725 - 1779

William Hogarth created this print, "Issued Barley Instead of Wheat," in 1725, as part of John Beaver's "Roman Military Punishments." Hogarth, living in a rapidly urbanizing London, critiqued the social mores of his time, and here, he brings that incisive eye to bear on the Roman military. The print depicts various punishments, revealing the harsh realities of military life. We see soldiers being forced to pick up barley grains, a commentary on the demeaning and often arbitrary nature of power. Another soldier is forced to ride a donkey backwards while facing its tail. Hogarth uses his art to reveal the emotional and psychological toll such punishments would take on the individual. By focusing on these indignities, Hogarth challenges the traditional heroic narratives of military glory, highlighting the human cost of maintaining order through humiliation and control. This print invites us to reflect on how societies, both ancient and modern, use punishment to enforce conformity and obedience.