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Difference between rulers - Coggle Diagram
Difference between rulers
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Augustan forum
vowed by Octavian on the eve of the battle of the Phillipi (42 BC)
but the forum was not dedicated until 2BC
the land was private and purchased
ex manubiis
augustus said it cost one hundred million sesterces in RGDA
celebrations of this dedication were lavish: they flooded the Circus Flaminius, sacrificed 260 lions, and staged a mock battle of Salamis, according to Dio
built to provide additional space for lawcourts, and from here that military governors ceremonially departed and returned
layout
Flanking the temple and running the length of the square were two porticoes, behind this colonnade were FOUR large semi-circular exedrae
at the end of the forum was the Temple of Mars Ultor
raised on a high podium, with eight columns on three sides
Constructed largely of Luna marble from the quarries at Carrara, which Augustus was the first to exploit, but also marble from foreign lands, showcasing conquest
Pliny considered the temple to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world
50% larger than temple of Venus in Julian forum
52 x 35m
columns 18m tall
porticoes were 120m long
the caryatids used to adorn the attics of the porticoes in the forum evoke the caryatids at the erechtheion of the athenian acropolis
there was a caryatid above each column, some in luna marble and some in Pentelic marble - exactly the same as those of the erechtheion and thus linking directly to periclean athens
summi viri
set in the four large exedrae and the porticooes
including Aeneas, Romulus, Scipio Africanus of the Second Punic War, and Sulla
in order
'to attain the standard set by those worthies of old'
, and to show himself as a continuation of former glory
the statues were either bronze or marble, and came with a plaque denoting the name and cursus honorum, and an elogia
akin to Virgil’s parade of the Heroes - as Anchises shows Aeneas the great romans of the past and the future, Augustus does the same to his people. He shows that he is a continuation, but also looks forward to the future
marbles
the porticoes had Corinthian monolithic columns of yellow giallo antico
giallo antico is a yellow marble from Simitthus, Africa, which became a roman province under augusta
Africano marble was used on the floors of the porticoes
from a quarry in Turkey
Pavonazzetto marble used in the Hall of Colossus
from Asia Minor
Julian forum
Julius Caesar began to collect money to purchase the site in 54 BC, just a year after Pompey had dedicated his theater, with its own temple
suetonius tells us that the cost of the land was more than a million gold pieces, ex manubiis from Gaul
a forum square surrounded by double-aisled portico, with a temple at western end of Venus genatrix
Temple of Venus Genetrix
dedicated by Caesar on September 26, 46 BC, the last day of his triumph
It was of marble, almost square, Corinthian, with eight columns across the front (octastyle)
Inside the cella, there was a statue of Venus, as well as statues of Caesar and Cleopatra, numerous works of art, including Greek paintings; six collections of engraved gems (dactyliothecae); and a breastplate decorated with pearls from Britannia.
all of this shows conquest
venus genitrix is the goddess who the julian family see as their personal ancestor
conclusion
julius set the tradition, and augustus followed, imitating the same broad shape of his forum
but augustus' was bigger and better, with his temple larger and more lavishly decorated
therefore it showcases innovation, whilst clinging to tradition: the inclusion of statues of Rome's greatest highlights how Augustus wants to be seen as the natural successor and 'restorer'
'I completed the Julian forum and the basilica which was between the temple of Castor and the temple of Saturn, building projects which had been started and almost finished by my father' RGDA 20
How Augustus honoured Caesar and tied himself to him
the deification of Caesar
this allowed augustus to easily associate with Caesar as 'divi filius'
Caesar was commonly deified soon after his death in 44BC, but wasnt officially deified til 1st Jan 42BC
Suetonius tells us 'at the first of the games which his heir Augustus gave in honour of his apotheosis, a comet shone for seven successive days, rising about the eleventh hour, and was believed to be the soul of Caesar'
this comet is known as
sidus iulium
henceforth, Octavian styled himself as 'divi filius'
Denarius minted by Augustus depicting himself on the obverse, the comet of 44 and divus Iulius (the divine Julius) on the reverse, 18BC
avenging Caesar
RGDA 2 'Those who murdered my father I drove into exile'
referring to Brutus and Cassius in the Battle of Phillipi in 42BC
did all this whilst building his personal autocritas, when he had built that by 27BC and became Augustus, he no longer needed to rely so much on associations with Julius
'the youth who owed everything to his name' (Mark Antony)
How Augustus distanced himself from Caesar
Augustus recognised the mistakes that led to Caesar's assassination - namely declaring himself dictator
' After this time I excelled everyone in influence, but I had no more power than the other who were my colleagues in each magistracy' RGDA 34
here augustus denies being dictator, and instead suggests his own personal autocritas has allowed him to ascend to such power
he is careful to deny certain honours
' i rejected the idea that i should become chief priest...even though the people were offering me this priesthood' RGDA 10
How Tiberius struggled to live up to Augustus
Tacitus in Annals 1.76 explains that Tiberius did not attend many public shows for fear of comparison to Augustus
Tacitus also tells us Augustus 'had not even adopted Tiberius as his successor out of affection or any regard to the State, but, having thoroughly seen his arrogant and savage temper, he had sought glory for himself by a contrast of extreme wickedness' 1.10
but Tacitus is extremely negative about Tiberius generally
imperial cult
inscription from gytheion, greece, 15AD
this is a ‘sacred law’ that stipulates the provision of an 8-day festival set up during the transitional period after the death of Augustus
Tiberius’ reply (SEG 11.922) (after 10th March) conveyed his praise for these honours, which suited his father’s divine contributions, but claimed more mortal honours for himself
'I myself, am content with more modest honours, suitable for mortals’
Tiberius recognises he can not live up to Augustus' divine status
how augustus utilised tradition
Augustus presented himself as the defender of the Roman tradition with moral laws and religious regeneration
in 18 and 17 BC he introduced laws against sexual offences: divorce was curbed and adultery made a public crime
restored 82 temples
continuity between building projects
Tiberius
worked on the Tiber for flood control
and built Castra Praetoria, the barracks of the praetorian guard, just outside rome
Caligula and Claudius
built 2 new aqueducts
claudius builds new harbour at Portus, just north of Ostia
Claudius drained the fucine lake
Julius Caesar
Suetonius 44 tells us that Caesar had great ambition regarding building projects
one of them was to open 'the greatest possible libraries of greek and Latin books'
this clearly competes with the Library of Alexandria - he wants rome to be the biggest and the greatest
Cicero concurs, telling us that Caesar wished for the Campus Martius to be 'covered with buildings'
Octavian after Actium
in 29BC, the temple of Divus Julius was built
Horlogium in 10BC - inscription references that Egypt 'had been brought under the power of the Roman people'
Forum Augusti in 2BC
Shows
Augustus
Augustus would 'pay full attention' at shows
especially because Julius Caesar had earned a bad reputation for reading or answering letters while watching shows
Suetonius
Tiberius
Tiberius did not frequently attend shows, due to 'a fear of contrast' with Augustus
Tacitus 1.76
Caligula
whilst leaving the theatre, he fell head first down the steps
and shouted that people give more honours to gladiators than to their deified emperors, or himself
Suetonius
Claudius
he ordered that all combatants who accidentally fell in shows should have their throats cut
bloodthirsty
Suetonius
Shows that Augustus was the blueprint, who recognised what JC did wrong and avoided this
Also shows that Tiberius was always aware of comparison, a battle which he would lose
that Caligula only cared for himself
and that Claudius perhaps tried to mimic Augustus in his attentive watching, but went too far
