Imperial Image Modern Scholarship

• Stanier on Politics

  Political and military strengths were crucial in maintaining power
• Cooley on The Mausoleum

  The building of a grand tomb in Rome highlights the difference between Octavian, loyal to Rome, and Antony, loyal to Egypt
• Edwards on Politics

  Octavian saw Antony + Cleopatra’s affair as an opportunity to advance his political position
• Edwards on Augustus

  Augustus made Rome into an autocracy disguised as a republic.
• Edwards on Caesar

  Julius Caesar was an example to Augustus of an autocrat who lost control.
• Wallace-Hadrill on Military + Religion

  They attributed Roman military success to religious piety.
• Wallace-Hadrill on Civil War

  Actium was a battle for Roman values, to save the world from assault on gods, ideals and moral fabric.
• Goldworthy on Military

  Augustus’ power was based on him being a ‘war-lord’, and recognising that it was important to keep the army loyal
• Beard on Cleopatra

  Augustus placed the focus on Cleopatra, which represented that the war as one fought against foreigners, rather than other Roman.
• Zanker on the Claudii

  Tiberius and Drusus’ victories were his victories, for he alone possessed the power of commander-in-chief.
• Scheid on Augustus + Divinity

  Augustus reacted firmly against any attempted to worship him as a god.
• Zanker on Association with Apollo

  During the civil war, Augustus represented aspects of Apollo, like discipline, morality and punishment. Afterwards, he focused on alternative aspects like music and arts, peace and reconciliation.
• Paintin on Building Programme

  The building programmes also provided employment, which would stimulate the economy.
• Eck on The Mausoleum

  The Mausoleum was an expression, in monumental form, of the princeps’ political ideology and the power of the ruling family
• Zazmusica on Building Programme

  The building programme showed the immorality of private luxury.
• Cooley on The Mausoleum

  Young Caesar was eager to highlight the contrast between himself and Antony. He was demonstrating his commitment to the city.
• Paintin on Augustus

  Augustus exercised almost absolute power
• Wallace-Hadrill on Religion

  Augustus revived a religious definition of Roman identity to identify himself with Rome.
• Wallace-Hadrill on Caesar

  From Caesar, Augustus had inherited a strong following from the city masses, which he consolidated with offerings.
• Galinsky on Augustus

  This was a ruler and leader one could respect
• Zazmusica on Art + Architecture

  The art of the Principate reflected the Greek Classical period in style, which Augustan Romans viewed that perios as one of superior moral behaviour.
• Farro on Pater Patriae

  Augustus portrayed himself as a benevolent father, and exerted control over Roman people at every level.
• Witschel on Pater Patriae

  The plebs saw Augustus as super-patronus, and benefactor of the city.
• Galinsky on Golden Age

  The Augustun Golden Age was different from the Saturnian Golden Age, as it was not god-given but rather based on hard work.
• Cretella on Augustus

  Augustus was not a monarch, but an ordinary citizen serving the nation.
• Galinsky on Res Gestae

  The Res Gestae is a self-serving text which omits all sins and wrongdoings.
• Brunt + Moore on Res Gestae

  Funerary inscriptions like the Res Gestae are not likely to contain outright lies because the authors would be easily caught out. Also, they would have wanted to present the best possible version of themselves.
• Williams on Caesar

  Julius Caesar was officially declared a god: far better to have a god as a father than a minor aristocrat.
• Beard on Caesar

  Caesar was Octavian’s passport to power
• Fitzgerald on Literature

  Poor people can’t read