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Imperial Image - Divi Filius Theme - Coggle Diagram

- - - - This linked Caesar with Romulus
      - It also linked him with Aeneas
  - - - He conquered Gallic tribes, written about in 'The Gallic Wars' by himself
      - He also conquered areas of Spain
      - He was victorious against his main rival, Pompey the Great
    - - This made him Dictator for Life, which broke the traditional temporary role of a dictator and made him more like a King, the last of which (Tarquinius Superbus or Tarquin the Proud) had been overthrown in favour of the Roman Republic in 509BC
      - This saw him assassinated in the Senate on 15th March 44BC, including by a member of the Brutus family who had deposed Tarquin earlier - they said they were saving the Republic
    - - He was celebrated as a great general
      - He was known for his generosity to the lower classes, so popular with the people of Rome
      - He was also known for his clementia (mercifulness)
        
        He invited allies of his rival Pompey back to Rome after Pompey's defeat - some of which later played a part in his assassination
  - - - Octavian himself was the son of Gaius Octavius, who was seen as a 'novus homo' (new man) as he was not of senatorial rank but had risen to be appointed proconsul of Macedonia
      - Gaius Octavius had died in 59BC
    - - He went to Spain when Caesar was just finishing up the campaign there
      - Impressed by him, Caesar sent Octavian to the East to learn from the governor of Macedonia and prepare for the Parthian Campaign. However, Caesar died before the campaign started
    - - Caesar adopted Octavian as his heir in his will
        
        Octavian changed his name from 'Gaius Octavius' to 'Gaius Julius Caesar' - this was exactly the same name as Caesar and his lack of including 'Octavianus' removed the link to his original family
        
        He was the main inheritor of Caesar's wealth
        
        He also inherited Caesar's followers
      - Octavian went to Rome
        
        He distributed 300 sesterces to each of the urban plebians as Caesar had instructed but Antony (consul) had refused to do
        
        He also held Games in Caesar's honour (in which the comet passed overhead, signifying Caesar had become a god)
  - - - Antony led one camp, Octavian led another. Antony broke into the enemy camp but Octavian was overrun (Antony later accused Octavian as hiding in a swamp). Antony defeated them, and Cassius and Brutus both committed suicide as they thought they had lost
    - - It was not completed until 2BC, but the fact he started it in 42BC shows he wants to give the impression of him as a just avenger
  - - - After defeating Antony at Actium (31BC) and Alexandria (30BC), Octavian was in a similar position to Caesar - in danger of being seen as a dictator and a threat to the Republic?
      - This is possibly why he 'restored' the Republic in the First Settlement in 27BC
    - - This could be seen as fulfilling the aim of Caesar or even going beyond Caesar's capabilities
      - But it was actually just a diplomatic deal done with Parthia where they agreed to return the lost Roman standards of Crassus and Antony. It wasn't even Augustus that did the deal, but his stepson (later adopted heir) Tiberius
    - - Pontifex Maximus was a title Caesar had held, so when Augustus got this title too it was a similarity between the pair, suggested shared piety
      - Augustus was voted the title following the death of its previous holder, Lepidus, in 12BC
- - - - Refers to Octavian as 'Caesar' - stresses link to Julius Caesar and the Julian family, so link to founders. Same name, same traits
      - Shows Julius Caesar as a great general and Octavian as young - suggests that he has potential to grow to be a great general like Caesar was known for being in the Gallic Wars
      - Two sides of the same coin gives association by proximity, suggests they are equal to be worthy of being on the coin with the other
      - Religious titles (Octavian as priest of the augurs and Caesar as Pontifex Maximus) - suggests both are pious, suggests a potential path for Octavian, who later is Pontifex Maximus in 12BC
      - Contrasting political titles (Octavian as consul, Caesar as Dictator in Perpetuity) - suggests they are both powerful and capable (perhaps Octavian is capable because Caesar was) but also stresses the traditional title of Octavian compared to the untraditional role of Caesar which got him assassinated
    - - Shows eight-rayed comet of 'Divus Julius' - stresses the deification of Caesar who has become a god. This makes Augustus son of a god, and so semi-divine
      - Augustus is called 'Augustus' - emphasises the religiosity of him, especially when linked to Caesar deemed so pious he was worthy of being deified (as was Augustus after his death)
    - - Still named 'Caesar' - still showing his link to Julius Caesar
      - He has become Pontifex Maximus - this shows him to have followed a similar path to Caesar, who also held this office
    - - Has title 'Divi Filius' for Augustus - shows him to be son of a god, emphasises his semi-divinity and power
      - Shows Caesar on the other side with a comet above his head - emphasises Caesar's divinity so Augustus' semi-divinity, as well as the support Augustus has from the gods to justify his power
  - - - Similar military dress to statue of Julius Caesar - suggests they share capability of military command
      - Augustus is clearly presented with a toga when Caesar isn't - could contrast the pair, suggesting a more civilised aspect of Augustus compared to the claims of atrocities in the Gallic Wars that Caesar was accused of
      - Links to divinity with gods on the breastplate - suggesting that Augustus is supported by the gods in his power and wars, as Caesar was seen to be
  - - - Accessed through Julius Caesar's Forum - suggests that Augustus follows on from Caesar as do their fora, also associates them by proximity, they are worthy to be next to each other
      - Temple of Mars Ultor was built after Battle of Philippi - justifies Augustus' war as he was avenging his father, Caesar, which demonstrates pietas
      - Statues (Julian family, Aeneas, Romulus) link Augustus to Julian family and the founders - justifies his power as his family has always had power and had the responsibility to protect Rome
      - Statues in the Temple of Mars Ultor (Divus Julius, Venus and Mars) link Augustus to the divine - this is done through showing the deified Caesar and with stressing his link to the Julian family who are descended in part from Venus (Aeneas) and Mars (Romulus)