THE TRANSFORMATION

OF ROMAN SOCIETY

UNDER AUGUSTUS

Week 4

From Octavian to augustus

From Octavian to Augustus

I.Aftermath of Actium

II.Settlement of 27 BC

III.Settlement of 23 BC

IV.Honours and prestige

V.Man, god, primus inter pares?

VI.‘Restoring’ the Republic?

Such was the naval battle in which

they engaged on the second of

September. I do not mention this

date without a particular reason, nor

am I, in fact, accustomed to do so;

but Caesar now for the first time held

all the power alone, and

consequently the years of his reign

are properly reckoned from that day.

(Dio 51.1)

What was Octavian’s position in the Roman world?

How can we work this out?

After actium

-Octavian victor, unprecedented status

-Not in Rome, but Egypt—needs to sort affairs there

-Cornelius Gallus made prefect (d. 26 BC)

After actium

-Octavian victor, unprecedented status

-Not in Rome, but Egypt—needs to sort affairs there

-Cornelius Gallus made prefect (d. 26 BC)

Caius Cornelius gallus

-LACTOR P5: trilingual career inscription

-Poetry: image of Octavian? (passage 1)

Letter to Rhosus

-Passage 2

How is Octavian cast by himself, and how is he treated by Rhosus?

Honours of 29 BC

Passage 3:-Arches-Actian games every 4 yrs-Auxilii latio-‘Athena’s vote’

Senate ratifies all his acts (Dio 51.20)

Close doors of Janus temple

Cistophorus of ephesus, 28 bc

Libertatis P(opuli)

R(omani) Vindex

Pax

Triple triumph of 29 BC

- Dalmatia, Actium, Egypt

From Octavian to Augustus

I.Aftermath of Actium

II.Settlement of 27 BC

III.Settlement of 23 BC

IV.Honours and prestige

V.Man, god, primus inter pares?

VI.‘Restoring’ the Republic?

Settlement of 27 bc

Compare RG to Dio (passages 4-5)

How do you account for the differences?

Settlement of 27 bc

Octavian gets:

-provincia (Gaul, Spain, Syria) for 10 yrs

-title of Augustus (passage 6)

-clipeus virtutis

-other honours

-continues to be elected as consul

Settlement of 27 bc

Title of Augustus: passage 7

Clipeus virtutis (copy from Arles)

Settlement of 27 bc

-Corona civica above door; laurelsAureus of 19-18 BC

"After by augury august illustrious Rome had been founded."

From Octavian to AugustusI.

Aftermath of Actium

II.Settlement of 27 BC

III.Settlement of 23 BC

IV.Honours and prestige

V.Man, god, primus inter pares?

VI.‘Restoring’ the Republic?

Settlement of 23 bc

Augustus lays down consulshipBecomes proconsul (LACTOR M27)

Receives-Tribunicia potestas-Maius imperium

[Tribunicia potestas] was a phrase which

Augustus devised as a designation of

supremacy, so that without assuming the name

of king or dictator he might have some title to

mark his elevation above all other authority.

(Tac, Ann 3.56.2)

From Octavian to Augustus

I.Aftermath of Actium

II.Settlement of 27 BC

III.Settlement of 23 BC

IV.Honours and prestige

V.Man, god, primus inter pares?

VI.‘Restoring’ the Republic?

Honours post 23

2 BC – Pater Patriae (passage 9)

Number of honours recorded by Dio drops; pattern of refusal instead, with some exceptions

19 BC: Ara Fortunae Reducis

13 BC: Ara Pacis

12 BC: Pontifex Maximus

11 BC: Refuses statues; instead, has them erected to Salus, Pax, and Concordia

From Octavian to Augustus

I.Aftermath of Actium

II.Settlement of 27 BC

III.Settlement of 23 BC

IV.Honours and prestige

V.Man, god, primus inter pares?

VI.‘Restoring’ the Republic?

The poets

-Other perspectives on Augustus’ position?

-Passage 10 (Ovid)

-Propertius (LACTOR G30)

-LACTOR G27; G44 (Horace)

How do we understand Augustus’ position in the Roman world?

From Octavian to Augustus

I.Aftermath of Actium

II.Settlement of 27 BC

III.Settlement of 23 BC

IV.Honours and prestige

V.Man, god, primus inter pares?

VI.‘Restoring’ the Republic?

Restoration of republic?

Dio?Suetonius?Fasti Praenestini? (LACTOR C5)Laudatio Turiae? (LACTOR T37f)Coinage? (LACTOR H18)

Restoration of republic?

Dio?

Suetonius?Twice Augustus thought about restoring

the Republic. (Aug 28.1)

Other authors? (cf. Velleius)

Restoration of republic?

Res GestaeRG 34.1: I transferred the republic from my power to the control of the senate and Roman people

kyrieia vs. politeia

Restoration of republic?

Fasti Praenestini? (LACTOR C5)

Restoration of republic?

Laudatio Turiae? (LACTOR T37f)

Once the world had been pacified and

the state restored, then peaceful and

happy days came to us.

Restoration of republic?

Coinage? (LACTOR H18)

Restoration of republic?

New foundation?optimi status auctor (Suet, Aug 28.1)

Coin (BMC, Aug, 16-19)(within an oak wreath)I O M S P Q R V S PR S IMP CAES

QVOD PER EV R P IN AMP ATQ TRAN

S E

Jovi Optimo Maximo, Senatus

Populusque Romanus vota suscepta

pro salute Imperatoris quod per eum

Res Publica in ampliore atque

tranquilliore statu est.