Imperial Image sources

• Modern representations

  • Antony and Cleopatra by Shakespeare - the villain in their passionate love story
  • I Claudius by BBC - a strong leader by unable to control his family
  • Res Gestae by Alan Massie - sesenitve portrayal of Augustus change over his rule
  • Sandman comic by Neil Gaiman - commanding and assured but still vunreble and mortal
• Sardonyx cameo portrait of Augustus the god


  AD 41 - 54
• Augustus wearing Jupiter's aegis - a symbol of divine authority
• Should be viewed as Augustus the god, not the man
• Sebasteion of Aphrodisias


  20 AD - 60 AD
• 190 relief panels depting mythological heros and representations of famous Romans
• Sebasteion of Aphrodisias


  • Gate - Aenas and Venus
  • Augustus standing with Nike (victory) over a defeated enemy
• Aureus of Nero


  54 AD
• Obverse: Head of Nero
• Reverse: priestly symbols (copied directly from Augustus)
• Nero publically stated he would model his reign on Augustus' and the copying of the coin emphasises this
• Aureus of Tiberius


  14 AD
• Obverse: Tiberius with Augustan hairstyle and laurel wreath
• Reverse: Livia holding the symbol of Pax
• Aesthetic and messaging are informed by Augustus
• Mausoleum of Augustus


  27 BC
• Augustus' monumental final resting place
• Suggests he wishes to remain in Rome for eternity - unlike Antony
• A gift to the city - surrounded by large parklands
• Temple of Rome and Augustus at Paula


  AD 2 - 14
• People worshipped Augustus (customary for Egpytians) but as a personifcation of Rome (kept Romans happy)
• Meroe head of Augustus


  Found in Sudan, close to the style of the Prima Porta
• The face is highly expressive with carful arrangement of foreloks, narrow forelocks and distinctive ears
• Augustus is depicted in the style of the pharohs giving an offering to an Egypitan deity
• An example of Augustus' diverse presentation throughout the Empire
• Ara Pacis


  13 BC - 9 AD
• Personification of peace was a central feature in Augustus' properganda
• Vines - Augustus' golden age and the rigidity of his reign
• Ara Pacis


  • Aenas sacrifices pigs to the gods in Troy
  • Romulus and Remus suckling the she-wolf
  • Tellus panel - female detites
  • Imperial family - Augustus as a civic leader
• Coin of Augustus


  16 BC
• Obverse: Head of Augustus
• Reverse: Augustus seated being presented by laurels by a victorius Tiberius and Drusus
• Forum of Augstus


  20 BC - 2 BC
• Features of the Forum of Augustus

  • Long porticos lined with collums lined with statues of famous Romans
  • Statue of Aenas and his descendants
  • Statue of Romulus
  • Agustus statue with inscription of 'Pater Patriae'
  • Temple of Mars Ultor
  • Statue of Venus and Mars
• Drusus and Claudians (Odes 4.4)

  13 BC
• Focuses on the military achievments of Tiberius and Drusus and the role of Augustus as a father figure - pater patrie
• Aureus of Augustus


  2 BC - 4 AD
• Obverse: Augustus' head wreathed
• Reverse: Gaius and Lucius Caesar standing veiled with shields and priestly symbols
• Augustus, Gaius and Lucius as princeps iuventutius