CLAS 2051 Lecture Notes - Imperial Cult (Ancient Rome), Apotheosis, Cella
Document Summary
2nd c. bce - beginning of 1st c. bce: civil wars. 1st century bce: pompey and caesar were aristocratic landowners and military generals. 27 bce: octavian augustus was the first emperor of rome: augustus" imperial cult becomes one of the most important tools of the empire. Before he died, caesar received the right to have a cult in his honour, to mark his house like a temple, and to place his imago in the procession of the gods that featured in. Apotheosis of caesar: apotheosis: glorification of a human being, assimilation to divinity, augustus, first roman emperor so skillful in exploiting the cult of the emperor. Augustus never personally claimed divine status during his lifetime- didn"t want to cause any revolt or uprising. roma was the deity personifying the roman state. Augustus used the goddess roma to enhance the power of the empire.
