Review: I want to begin by focusing on how the first chapters provide examples of the phenomena outlined in the first discussion / meeting. Please come prepared with concrete examples of these phenomena.

Our Basic Structure...the dictator / tyrant

• maintains but subverts the constitution. How did Octavian / Augustus operate to do this?
• preserves power by intimidation; typically controls strategic places and has a body guard.
• is the object of public veneration as a "heroic" and "transcending" savior. Represents a “popular/national” program: national revival (art, architecture, events); an important variant on this theme is the identification of an "enemy" (internal or external) and / or the corruption of the previous regime.
• his power is confirmed by the public acceptance of a criminal act.

Tyranny and dictatorship are contrary to the tradition of "European liberalism and humanism". What do these terms mean and why are there conflicts?

Also, please take a look at these passages that summarize the "cruelty" of the Octavian.

Overview for today.

We are dealing with propaganda, but what does the term mean? And how does it relate to the themes of the course? What is the connection to "undermining the constitution"? to intimidation? to the creation of the "heroic" image? Esp here is the role of the gift, and the obligation that is assumed.

• Why is Augustus "generous"? What message does he want to send? about wealth? Consider the behavior of other tyrants and dictators and how they used their wealth. Mobutu in Zimbabwe, but also other well known cases in the 20th century (e.g., Duvalier in Haiti; Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, Idi Amin from Uganda).
• Tacitus, writing a century after the death of Augustus, says "he [Augustus] won over the soldiers with gifts, the populace with cheap food, and seduced every one by the delights of peace" and "it was in the interests of peace that all power be conferred on one man" (annals I, 2). What do you make of this argument?
• And where did he get the resources?

The most important aspect of the readings for this week involve the "message". What image does Augustus wish to convey? and how does that message evolve as he becomes more secure in his power and authority?

• Note that the editors refer on several occasions to Augustus' desire to win and to enjoy "consent". What would he [or any dictator] care? How does he go about gaining it?
• Watch more specifically for the "market segmentation" in this propaganda. What actions were directed at the lower orders? which policies favored the wealthy? which ones targeted the people of Rome? which ones the communities of Italy and the provinces? How can we define the audience? Based on the references he gives to his gifts, can we reconstruct his priorities?
• Many of the buildings he constructed have religious connotations. Consider what this says about expectations and about his own self image. Note too the balance between the utilitarian (aqueducts, roads, etc.) and the "higher order" of things (i.e., the role of the gods).
• You can play around with the figures given by taking 1000 sesterces as being equal to about $50,000. This is a crude calculation for purchasing power was clearly very different. But it is safe to state that 1000 sesterces per year provided people with a comfortable living. Consider: who the beneficiaries were of his personal generosity?
• We will try to set up a matrix that allows us to catalogue benefactions with message and audience. I will ask students for concrete suggestions here.
  

Augustus; cameo

Popular consent in a religious context.

10.1 Name in Salian Hymn, person should be inviolable, and hold tribunician power. Safety of Rome and Augustus equated in religious context. One may kill with impunity anyone who outrages him. Tribunician power: to speak for the "people". Embodiment of popular sovereignty.

On the hymn: "The great difference between this rude dialect and classical Latin is easily seen, and we can well imagine that this and the Salian hymn of Numa were all but unintelligible to those who recited them. [11] The most probable rendering is as follows: -- "Help us, O Lares! and thou, Marmar, suffer not plague and ruin to attack our folk. Be satiate, O fierce Mars! Leap over the threshold. Halt! Now beat the ground. Call in alternate strain upon all the heroes. Help us, Marmor. Bound high in solemn measure." Each line was repeated thrice, the last word five times."

10.2 Declines to hold PM until office vacant, tho he considered the office properly his 'own' through his father (dubious). When he took it there was popular acclaim of all Italy.

11. Altar of Fortuna Redux; with annual sacrifice to celebrate return. Thanksgiving to gods. Aug as gift of gods.

12.1 Unprecedented embassy of leading men and magistrates sent to welcome him in Campania.

Prince of Peace

12.2 Altar of Augustan Peace (ara pacis Augustae). Structure; Italia; procession of animals; and of men; annual sacrifice to celebrate return.

13 Janus closed "when victories had secured peace by land and sea throughout the whole empire of the Roman people". Unpredented: In all Roman history closed only twice but when he was princeps three times.

14.1 Gaius and Lucius: SPQR to honor me allowed to be consul at 19!! and to be part of councils of state. Function of this honor??

14.2 hailed as leaders of equestrian order (pre-senators) and principes iuventutis. Implications --> princeps (not juxtaposition). Augustus is unique; but what will happen after his death?

Largess

15 Amounts to plebs of Rome: 2000S = $100,000 [or 1S = $50]. Rations. Sources: "his own property" / patrimony, booty. To how many people? at least 250,000. $25billion; also to colonists:1000S to 120,000 soldiers. The message? Uses wealth for public welfare. Merida. Colonies of Augustus in the West

16 Paid cash to towns for land (unprecedented), up to S 600,000,000 in Italy and 260,000,000 in provinces; also 400,000,000 for retirement bonuses. It is not just the enormous amounts, but the fact that an individual had the resources to do something the state might otherwise do. Why do it? Personal connection.

17-18 When state lacked resources, he balanced the budget; and used personal money to do so, and also to fund another military retirement fund. Altogether over 320,000,000. When taxes did not suffice, also made allocations from own resources to 100,000 or more people.

Construction: forum and a map.

19. Senate house = curia Julia. Temple of Apollo/Palatine [reconstructed]; temple of Divus Julius (and coin); and many others. Note especially the following: Temples on Capitoline hill (state cult); on Aventine (plebeian center) Jupiter Libertas; of Lares and Penates (household deities). Permitted the name of original builder. Horace on moral renewal: " ... Thy fathers' sins, Romans, you though guiltless shall expiate till you restore the crumbling temples and shrines of the gods ... it is by holding yourself client to the gods that you do rule...Outraged by neglect, they have sent unnumbered woes on sorrowful Italy. Teeming with sin, our times have sullied first the marriage bed, our offspring, and our homes. From this source, disaster's stream has overflowed the people and the fatherland". ...But: "Thine age, Caesar, has brought back fertile crops to the fields and has restored to our own Jupiter the military standards stripped from the proud columns of the Parthians; has closed Janus' temple, freed us of wars; has put reins on license overstepping righteous bounds; has wiped away our sins and revived the ancient virtues through which the Latin name and might of Italy waxed great...As long as Caesar Augustus is the guardian of the state, neither civil dissension nor violence shall banish peace, nor wrath that forges swords and brings misery to cities." Legislation on marriage.

20. Restored Capitol and theater of Pompey --without adding own name. Aqueducts. Map thereof. Output. Restored over 82 temples. Also roads and bridges of the via Flaminia.

21. Temple of Mars Ultor/Forum Augusti. The theater of Marcellus. Built from booty; 100,000,000. Remitted taxes and refunded aurum coronarium.

Games

22 -23. Games together with sons and grandsons (function). A regular event. Inaugurated new games (secular, etc.); events of all sorts include beast hunts (with sons and grandsons) 26 times. Naval battles.

Provinces

24. Restored temples and temple treasures of Asia (province); removed and converted 80+ silver statues of himself to gold and made offerings to the gods. what does he want to convey here?

Italy, the Sea and provinces

25. Peace, end of piracy. All Italy swore oath, not just army. Consider also his propaganda against Cleopatra and Antony; and Antony's against him

• Cassius Dio "For Cleopatra had enslaved Antony so absolutely...that Antony accompanied her [carried in a chair] on foot along with her eunuchs...dressed in a manner not in accordance with the customs of his native land...posed with her he as Osiris and she as Isis...which made him appear bewitched".
• And: "not even his friends denied that Octavian was given to adultery, though they excused it as committed not from passion but from politics, so he could easily keep track of his enemies's plans by seducing the women in their households...his friends acted as his pimps and stripped and inspected matrons and girls as if slave dealers putting them up for sale." Suetonius

26. extended territory; brought peace; extended borders.