Reading for Monday 4/23/12 History of Rome You Will Find in This Packet
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Reading for Monday 4/23/12 A e History of Rome A You will find in this packet three different readings. 1) Augustus’ autobiography. which he had posted for all to read at the end of his life: the Res Gestae (“Deeds Accomplished”). 2) A few passages from Vergil’s Aeneid (the epic telling the story of Aeneas’ escape from Troy and journey West to found Rome. The passages from the Aeneid are A) prophecy of the glory of Rome told by Jupiter to Venus (Aeneas’ mother). B) A depiction of the prophetic scenes engraved on Aeneas’ shield by the god Vulcan. The most important part of this passage to read is the depiction of the Battle of Actium as portrayed on Aeneas’ shield. (I’ve marked the beginning of this bit on your handout). Of course Aeneas has no idea what is pictured because it is a scene from the future... Take a moment to consider how the Battle of Actium is portrayed by Vergil in this scene! C) In this scene, Aeneas goes down to the Underworld to see his father, Anchises, who has died. While there, Aeneas sees the pool of Romans waiting to be born. Anchises speaks and tells Aeneas about all of his descendants, pointing each of them out as they wait in line for their birth. 3) A passage from Horace’s “Song of the New Age”: Carmen Saeculare Important questions to ask yourself: Is this poetry propaganda? What do you take away about how Augustus wanted to be viewed, and what were some of the key themes that the poets keep repeating about Augustus or this new Golden Age? Le’,s The Au,qustan Age 195. The Accomplishments ofAugustus ) Cassius Dio, Roman History uu, xvi; Adapted from LCL Suetonius, L!fe ofAugustus lviii; From LCL Such were the arrangements made, generally speaking, at that ti ; for The whole body of citizens with a sudden unanimous i se proffered in reality Caesar , himself was destined to have absolute p0 in all him the title of “father of his country”—first the pl by a deputatin matters for life, because he was not only in control of mo y matters sent to Antium, and then, because he declined i gain at Rome as he (nominally, to be sure, he had separated the public funds m his own, entered the theater, which they attended in ongs, all wearing laurel but as a matter of fact he spent the former also as he sa fit) but also iz wreaths; the senate afterwards in the senat ouse, not by a decree or by control of the army. At all events, when his ten—year eriod’4 came to acclamation, but through Valerius Me a. He, speaking for the whole an end, there was voted him another five years, t n five more, after body, said: “Good fortune and div’ favor attend thee and thy house, that ten, and again another ten, and then ten for e fifth time, so th4t Caesar Augustus; for thus we f that we are praying for lasting pros. by the succession of ten—year periods he conti ed to be sole ruler for perity for our country and piriess for our city. The senate in accord life. And it is for this reason that the subseq t monarchs, though no with the Roman peop ails thee ‘Father of thy Country.’ “ Then longer appointed for a specified period but r their whole life once for Augustus with tear is eyes replied as follows (and I have given his all,15 ‘ nevertheless always held a celebrat’ every ten years, as if then exact words, a id those of Messala): “Having attained my highest renewing their sovereignty once mor and this is done even at the hopes, me rs of the senate, what more have Ito ask of the immortal present day. gods t that I may retain this same unanimous approval of yours to Now, Caesar had received ma privileges previously, when the the yendofmylife?”16 question of declining the soverei y and that of apportioning the prov inces were under discussion, F the right to fasten laurels to the front of the imperial residence and o hang the civic crown above the doors 195. THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF AUGUSTUS was then voted him to syn olize the fact that he was always victorious over (RES GESTAE Divi AUGUSTI) enemies and savior f the citizens. The imperial palace is called Palatium, not because was ever decreed that this ‘ should be its name The following document, from the hand of Augustus himself, is perhaps but because Caesar d lt on the Palatine and had his military headquar the most famous ancient inscription— “the queen of Latin inscriptions” ters there. Het , even if the emperor resides somewhere else, his Mommsen called it. A vast literature has grown up around it—numerous dwelling retains t name of Palatium. I editions, commentaries, and discussions of its nature and purpose.17 Shortly And when had actually completed the reorganization, the name I before he died, he left instructions for releasing to the public this “account Augustus wa at length bestowed upon him by the senate and by the of his accomplishments, which he desired to be inscribed on two bronis people. Ic took the title of Augustus, signifying that he was more pillars to be set up before his mausoleum” (Suetonius, Life ofAugustus iv). than with a hum ; for all most precious and sacred objects are termed augusta. The Res Gestae is preserved in an almost complete copy, together For whi reason Greek translation, inscribed on the walls of the temple of Rome and they called him also in . Greek sebastos . meaning an augus erson, Augustus at Ancyra (modem Ankara in Turkey), in the province of I Galatia (hence it is commonly called the Monumentuns Ancyranuni). Por tions of the Greek and Latin texts have also been found in Apollonia arid Antioch in Pisidia. Intended primarily for the people of the city of Rome, Augustus’ account of his stewardship summarizes his career under thrc’c i6. The title of “father of his country” was bestowed on Augustus in a icc. Cf. also non. 11 14. Thai , of his proconsular power. From 23 B.C. on Augustus possessed imperium maius 17. Discussions of the nature and purposes of this political autobiography, together with detaikd (“superior power”), that is, proconsular power over all the provinces of the Empire, including the commentaries on the text, may be found in P. A. Bmnt andJ. M. Moore, Res Gestae Divi .4uguei. ny authority to supersede the acts of governors of senatorial provinces. Achievements of the Divine Augustus (Oxford, 1967); E. S. Ramage, The Nature and Purpose of Augu ho 15. The permanent grant of proconsular power began with the Emperor Tiberius. “Res Gestae” (Wiesbaden, 1987). 562 The Augustan Age J 195. The Accomplishments ofAugustus headings: the offices and honors conferred upon him (paragraphs x—14)ç sea, both civil and foreign, and when victorious I spared all citizens who his expenditures out of his own funds for public purposes (paragraphs i— sought pardon. Foreign peoples who could safely be pardoned I pre. 24); his deeds in war and peace (paragraphs 25—35). Though largely fac ferred to spare rather than to extirpate. About 500,000 Roman citizens tual, it is not a historical chronicle but a subjective political document, It were under military oath to me. Of these, when their terms of servi e is in the tradition of the inscriptions commemorating the achievements of were ended, I settled in colonies or sent back to their own municipalities distinguished Romans of the Republic and is similar in content to the well- 3OO,O00, and to all of these I allotted lands or granted known inscriptions set up by Oriental kings. Despite Augustus’ profession a little more than exchisis c of “restoring the Republic,” a monarchical tone pervades the Res Gestac. money as rewards for military service. I captured 600 ships, those which were of smaller class than triremes.24 4. Twice I celebrated ovations, three times curule triumphs,25 and I CIL, vol. III, 769—799 (EJ, pp. I—3IADA, 20—63) PP. pp. was acclaimed imperator twenty—one times. When the senate decreed Below is a copy of the accomplishments of the deified Augustus by additional triumphs to me, I declined them on four occasions. I depos— which he brought the whole world under the empire of the Roman ited in the Capitol laurel wreaths adorning my fasces, after fulfilling the people, and of the moneys expended by him on the state and the Roman vows which I had made in each war.27 For successes achieved on land people, as inscribed on two bronze pillars set up in Rome.18 and on sea by me or through my legates under my auspices the senate ,19 At the age of nineteen, on my own initiative and at my own decreed fifty—five times that thanksgiving be offered to the immortal expense, I raised an army by means of which I liberated the Republic, gods. Moreover, the number of days on which, by decree of the senate, which was oppressed by the tyranny of a faction.20 For which reason the such thanksgiving was offered, was 890. In my triumphs there were led senate, with honorific decrees, made me a member of its order in the before my chariot nine kings or children of kings. At the time I wrote consulship of Gaius Pansa and Aulus Hirtius B.C., giving me at the this, I had been consul thirteen times, and I was in the thirty—seventh same time consuiar rank in voting, and granted me the imperium.