Augustus Notes

Question 1

Res Publica

Answer 1

A’s Argument for restoration of the republic - common good
Improved life for all
But A. still has all the power

Question 2

Princeps

Answer 2

Latin - suggests ‘the one’/or ‘the first’.
Linked to Augustus being the first emperor
Often linked to nobility

Question 3

Triumvir

Answer 3

Alongside Anthony and Lepidus
Made a legal position by a tribune
Glossed over events as a triumvir,
- but does take care to emphasise legality of the position

Question 4

Consul

Answer 4

Usually two in charge of the senate

Augustus holds one of the positions for 8? years

Question 5

Republican precedents

Answer 5

Used during the first settlements

• Multiple consulships - Marius 104-100 bc
• multiple provinces - Pompey Lex Gab/Man
• cura annonae - Pompey?
• new name - Pompey MAGNUS, Scipio AFRICANUS

Question 6

Corona Civica

Answer 6

Don’t know :(

Question 7

Pontifex Maximus

Answer 7

Religious control/leader

According to Cassius: “they [Emperors] excercise supreme jurisdiction over all matters both profane and sacred”

Question 8

Cura Annonae

Answer 8

Control of the grain dole

Allows him to set how much the plebs get free

Question 9

Tribunician power

Answer 9

Allows him to veto anything in senate he doesn’t want them to talk about
Works alongside his senate reforms - streamlined

Question 10

Censor powers

Answer 10

Allows him to prune the senate on ‘unsavoury characters’

Alongside senate reforms where he goes 1000->600

Question 11

Pater Patriae

Answer 11

Father of Rome
Statue in the forum of Augustus in the middle
Emphasises his status as the founder of a new era

Question 12

Second Triumvirate

Answer 12

Anthony, Octavian, Lepidus
Kills Cicero (yay)
Serious proscriptions - Tacitus: land distributions

Question 13

Actium

Answer 13

Battle of Octavian vs Antony and Cleopatra
When losing Cleopatra flees to protect the ptolemy treasure
Antony doesn’t realise this and then follows her
They both get surrounded in their palace
Then they kill themselves as it’s hopeless

Question 14

Treaty of Brundisium

Answer 14

Treaty between the triumvirs after the battle of Philippi
Antony gets the East
Octavian gets the west
Lepidus gets Spain and Africa

Question 15

Res Gestae Positives

Answer 15

Written at the time of the events (contemporary)
Concise (300 Lines)
Shows us his aims for how he wanted to be viewed

Question 16

Res Gestae Negatives

Answer 16

PROPAGANDA (manipulation)
Does not mention enemies by name
Misses out key early events - eg, Proscriptions

Question 17

Treaty with Parthians

Answer 17

Alliance made with King Phraates in 30bc
They were weak from internal dissent.
Lost standards from the Battle of Carrhae returned in 20bc
Southern border between Rome and Parthia secured by desert, but northern border a danger.
Senatorial states were under native rule
So Augustus used Armenia as a buffer state.
Regularly sent envoys to Armenia to encourage friendly relationships with the East
Agrippa stayed in the East for 10 years to maintain the border line.

Question 18

Ara Pacis General Structure

Answer 18

General Structure
Greek style - based on the pantheon friezes
Means altar of peace
Each face reinforces key messages of peace/military glory, Roman republican values and traditions (restoration of the republic), religious values.

Question 19

Ara Pacis North/South Faces

Answer 19

North and South Walls

• Various groups of people
  
  • Imperial family
    
    • Augustus grandchildren OR children of the world
    • His daughter, her husbands, his wife’s sons etc
  • Members of the main Collegias in Rome - return to original values and traditions
  • Lictors, carrying Fasces (bundle of rods) - stronger together - republican value
  • Priests

Question 20

Ara Pacis East Faces

Answer 20

East Wall

• Goddess (Italia) sitting with two babies and lots of corn, grain etc around her - symbols of fertility and prosperity - i.e. the benefits of peace time
• Goddess Bellatrix/Roma sitting on a pile of confiscated weapons - messages of enforcing peace through war, partially symbolising Roman military victory - OVID?!

Question 21

Ara Pacis West Faces

Answer 21

West Wall

• One panel, two interpretations
  
  • one is that it shows Aeneas landing in Italy for the first time - sacrificing a pig to Juno as is tradition for a peace treaty
  • other is that it shows the second king of Rome Numa Pompilius?
• Other panel is the lupercal panel
  
  • Shows Romulus and Remus being rescued by the shepherd Faustulus
  • Mars is watching the scene

Question 22

Pax Romana

Answer 22

Peace of Rome

Augustus closes the doors of Janus 3 times during his career

Question 23

Prima Porta Augustae

Answer 23

Breastplate features
-shows military powers
-GODS GODDESSES?!!!?!?
Other features
-Greek style of full body statue
-wearing a toga symbolises tradition and senatorial power
-stood in oratory pose
-original carved in bronze then replicated in stone later
-dolphin at feet shows link the venus (through the Julian clan)
-cupid on the dolphin again shows divinity
-originally holding the consular baton as a symbol of the elected

Question 24

Forum of Augustus

Answer 24

Built to deal with overcrowding
Extension on the orignal forum
This extension was mostly temples and statues etc

Eaves - statues depicting scenes of the founders
Aisles - great men from history
- Alban kings?
Nave - Statue of Augustus in his chariot with the words: Pater Patriae (father of Rome)
Temples - Mars, Venus and Zeus inside at the back?

Question 25

Trophy of Augustus (Alps)

Answer 25

The Tropaeum Alpium (Latin for “Victory Monument of the Alps”).
Built by the Romans for the emperor Augustus to celebrate his definitive victory over the ancient tribes which populated the Alps.
Built in approx. 6bc

Question 26

Imperator

Answer 26

Title given to good military commanders.
Shows respect and power to a general
Augustus awarded this during the first settlement??

Question 27

Oath of allegiance

Answer 27

Sworn to him by all of Italy.

RG: “The number of Roman citizens who bound themselves to me by military oath was about 500,000”

Question 28

Senate Committees

Answer 28

Senate committees were small groups of randomly selected senators to meet before senate meetings and decide on topics to be discussed.
This made the individuals feel powerful, streamlined the meetings, organised the meeting, and improved the situation overall.
However, Augustus gained lots of power from it as in a small group he could ensure that they decided on the issues he wanted to discuss without forcing the issue.
He could also veto anything he didn’t want to be brought up through his tribunicia potestas.

Question 29

Military treasury/fund

Answer 29

Formed to solve his pay problems
Took money from the sales (1%) and inheritance (5%) tax.
He started it up with 170mil from his own pay, and later added two 150mil top-ups.

Question 30

Provincial Councils

Answer 30

??

Question 31

The Lares and Genius of Augustus

Answer 31

??

Question 32

Virgil’s ‘Aeneid’

Answer 32

Augustus commissioned this to be written.

It retold the story of a founding of Rome in a Homer style epic.

Question 33

Maius Imperium

Answer 33

Maius imperium gave him power over all provinces… even those that weren’t his!`

Question 34

Imperium within the Pomerium

Answer 34

This was an honour that had NO precedent.
He was given power higher than everyone within the no power line in Rome!
allowed him to set guards in the city.