HIST 221 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Augustus, Cleopatra Ii Of Egypt, Cleopatra I Syra
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Roman Empire
Why does Western Civilization give Rome more of its attention than any other ancient civilization?
2nd Triumvirate (43-33 BC)
I. Alliance: Antony, Octavian, Lepidus
II. Proscriptions
III. Civil War: Octavian & Antony vs. Brutus & Cassius (Caesar’s assassins)
A. Battle of Philippi (42)
1. Antony & Octavian win
2. Cassius killed in battle; Brutus suicide
IV. Divide empire
A. Antony = east
B. Octavian = west
Civil War: Octavian vs. Antony & Cleopatra
I. Antony & Cleopatra
A. met 41 BC
B. twin children born 40 BC
C. Antony married Octavian’s sister (39 BC)
D. Antony proclaims his children by Cleopatra heirs in the east
“ “ Caesarion (Caes + Cleo) heir in west
E. Antony dumps Octavian’s sister, marries Cleopatra
1. Octavian opened up Antony’s will
a. bury me in Egypt next to Cleopatra
II. Battle of Actium (31 BC): Octavian won
III. Antony & Cleopatra commit suicide (30 BC)
Octavian = Augustus (27 BC-AD 14)
I. Republic imploding
A. riots, assassinations, army loyal to commander, not state
II. How did Augustus take over?
A. prestigious offices for aristocrats
B. peace, free food, entertainment for poor
C. Praetorian Guard for protection & riot prevention
III. How to prevent rebellious army?
A. size
B. no senators in command
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IV. How to rule w/o getting assassinated?
A. divorce pwr from status
1. Aristocracy keeps status by
a. offices
b. family names on coins
c. governors of provinces w/o army
2. Aug keeps pwr by
a. army
b. right to veto legislation
B. façade
1. declared Republic restored. formally returned authority & power to Senate
2. title
a. avoid title “emperor” (imperator)
b. used “1st citizen” (princeps)
V. How to prevent riot?
A. praetorian guard
1. only armed force in city of Rome
2.body guard & police
B. free food & entertainments
C. propaganda
VI. Propaganda theme 1: Peace
A. Name change
1. Augustus = “the revered one”
B. Altar of Peace (Ara Pacis)
1. Location = opposite Temple of Janus (war temple)
a. Temple of Janus closed b/c of peace
b. Altar of Peace opened
c. Along busy road
2. juxtaposed Aug ancestors w/ founders of Rome
3. mother earth = fertility
4. message: peace & tradition
C. Autobiography: My career (Res Gestae)
Augustus (r. BC 27-AD14): My Career (res gestae) by Augustus
3. I often waged war, civil and foreign, on the earth and sea, in the whole wide world,
and as victor I spared all the citizens who sought pardon. As for foreign nations, those
which I was able to safely forgive, I preferred to preserve than to destroy…
5. When the dictatorship was offered to me, both in my presence and my absence, by the
people and senate… I did not accept it. I did not evade the curatorship of grain in the
height of the food shortage, which I so arranged that within a few days I freed the entire
city from the present fear and danger by my own expense and administration. When the
annual and perpetual consulate was then again offered to me, I did not accept it.
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13. peace had been secured through victory. Although before my birth [the temple of
Janus] had been closed twice in all in recorded memory from the founding of the city,
the senate voted three times in my principate that it be closed.
QQ: Did Augustus change his message of peace in the provinces?
1) Yes: recognized different cultural expectations (e.g. Alexander in Persia)
2) No: believed peace = universal
BP: Extent of Romanization in the provinces or at least Augustus’ perception of Romanization.
D. Poetry
1. Virgil Aeneid
a. virtues of epic align w/ Augustan moral legislation: piety, duty,
faithfulness
VII. Propaganda theme 2: RESTORE THE PAST (religion, morality, appearance)
A. rebuilt temples
B. restored cults
C. marriage legislation
1. adultery = death penalty for male lover
2. husband must prosecute wife, otherwise he’s charged w/ pimping
3. unmarried penalized
4. women +3 children lose guardian
D. building program
1. “I found Rome made of brick and left it clothed in marble” = golden age
Subsequent Julio-Claudians
I. Caligula (r. 37-41)
A. attacks Senators
1. wives at dinner
2. wives = palace prostitutes
3. horse = senator
B. Sadist
1. families attend sons’ execution
2. kill slowly w/ slow cuts, “must feel he is dying”
3. claimed innocent. Cut out tongue. Then execute
C. Megalomaniac
1. declared himself a Living God
2. sex w/ moon goddess
3. claimed to defeat Neptune
Youtube: Most Evil Men in History: Caligula (12:51-14:36; 19:07-21:14)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um0ZPkMpe1c
II. Nero (r. 54-68)
A. Shocking. Just shocking!
1. incest w/ mother
2. cross-dresser
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Document Summary
2nd triumvirate (43-33 bc: alliance: antony, octavian, lepidus. Civil war: octavian & antony vs. brutus & cassius (caesar"s assassins: battle of philippi (42, antony & octavian win, cassius killed in battle; brutus suicide. Divide empire: antony = east, octavian = west. Antony & cleopatra commit suicide (30 bc: octavian opened up antony"s will, bury me in egypt next to cleopatra. Octavian = augustus (27 bc-ad 14: riots, assassinations, army loyal to commander, not state, prestigious offices for aristocrats, peace, free food, entertainment for poor, praetorian guard for protection & riot prevention, republic imploding. How to prevent rebellious army: (cid:315) size, no senators in command. 2. body guard & police: free food & entertainments, propaganda. Augustus (r. bc 27-ad14): my career (res gestae) by augustus: i often waged war, civil and foreign, on the earth and sea, in the whole wide world, and as victor i spared all the citizens who sought pardon.
