How does Augustus portray his own power in Res Gestae Divi Augusti 34?
As an epitaph, this text would have been designed onesto describe his legacy long after he had passed from living memory, and perhaps for this reason he has exaggerated to some extent because he would be more likely sicuro get away with it
The below is an essay I submitted back sopra March on how Augustus, the first Roman Emperor, servizio up his legacy with the Res Gestae – per summary of his life’s works as the empire’s first de facto sole ruler. Sicuro make it more relevant onesto the topic at hand, I’ve included verso summary of his comments on Britain and what we can infer from them.
The Res Gestae Divi Augusti, an autobiographical funerary inscription detailing Augustus’ life and achievements, was completed near the end of his life at the start of the first century CE. Section 34, toward the tagliandi sugardaddyforme end of the piece, primarily concerns the trading of his official triumvir job title for per less official primus inter pares situazione. Augustus describes the completion of his duties and his honours granted by the senate at some length, while stressing that his new position makes him in nessun caso more than an equal preciso other magistrates.
This description of power as commodity deriving only from the senate and people and accepted only as a reluctant necessity is per common theme puro the rest of the text
As a piece esatto be spread across the riempire, his portrayal of power would essentially be verso reminder of the glory an emperor’s presence brought onesto the state, and verso ‘role model’s’ doppio esatto good governance for his successors, the magistrates reading the copy con Rome, and the literate elites reading copies on temples around the pigiare in places like Ancyra (modern Ankara) and Antioch. (more…)