Augustus and the Early Roman Empire

The Pax Romana of Augustus

Octavian became Augustus Caesar in 27 BC after an elaborate public show of resignation and humility. Augustus was a religious title meaning "revered" which the Roman people bestowed upon Octavian in honor of his service.

The Primaporta Augustus, Vatican Museums, Rome. Detail of Cuirass with personifications of the provinces.

The Res Gestae were his memoirs recording his victories in Gaul (France) and Spain, military victories in the provinces which brought the Pax romana, an era of relative peace and prosperity, to the Roman people. Augustus was lionized by the Roman people--he promoted conservative Republican values even though he failed to re-establish it. He tried to restore faith in the Roman state by equating his role as pontifex maximus with religious and moral values. Augustus used religion to reorganize state and to establish his own rule. He assumed the title of Pontifex maximus (head priest) and revived old religious traditions like the Lupercalia festival to further associate the emperor with the state cult. He also promoted the cult of emperor as divine by building a temple to the Divine Julius. His views on morality extended to laws regarding adultery, unchastity, and bribery. Under Augustus, widowers were required to remarry within 3 years of losing a spouse, and those fathering large families were rewarded with public recognition.

Ara pacis augustae

The Altar of Peace was dedicated to pietas and the pax romana of Augustus on July 4, 13 BC, near Campus Martius on the Via Flaminia. Replacing a temporary structure of wood and paintings, this beautiful altar was later rebuilt in Luna marble (covering a tufa and travertine base). It has been reconstructed near its original site on the Tiber in Rome. Remarkable for its classical style (it was perhaps the work of Greek sculptors), the Altar is decorated with reliefs representing allegorical, historical and mythological scenes. On the flanks can be seen processions of the First Family & friends--both alive and deceased--who were present at first sacrifice, as well as senators, magistrates, priests, Vestal Virgins and ceremonial attendants. All of them were depicted in the classically idealized manner that was deliberately appropriated from the reliefs of fifth century BC Periclean Athens, an which Augustus and his age unquestionalbly emulated.

The Ara Pacis Augustae: the First Family

In the main frieze, Augustus played the role of the now damaged figure of rex sacrorum the king/priest with his head veiled who performed the ancient rites of blood sacrifice and holocaust, or burning of the sacrifice. He is shown accompanied by the flamen diales, identified by their spiked caps and the lictors who with their ceremonial axes will deal the death blows to the sacrifical animals. Marcus Agrippa is probably the older man near him also veiled as an auger or pontifex, and he holds the hand of a young boy who was probably his son Lucius (and Augustus' grandson). Those behind these two have been identified as (left to right): Augustus' daughter Julia; Iullus Antonius (son of Mark Antony and Fulvia); Antonia Minor (Augustus' niece), Octavia minor (another niece), Drusus maior (Octavia's husband); their 2 year-old son Germanicus; Antonia maior (his niece); Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (Antonia's husband); their children; Octavia minor (Augustus' sister); and bringing up the rear, Livia, the emperor's wife.

The procession on the opposite side shows members of the Senate (Curia) paying homage to Augustan peace.

Aeneas Sacrificing

On the southwest face is the relief of Aeneas, Augustus' legendary ancestor and the father of Romulus and Remus, sacrficing a sow to Ceres, goddess of abundance and fertility. He parallels Augustus's own acts of piety as pontifex. Also found there is the relief (extremeley damaged) of the she-wolf suckling the twins Romulus and Remus, an allusion to the festival of Lupercal.

Tellus relief

Finally, there is the beautiful relief of Tellus, an allegory of the Augustan Golden Age. Two Aurae or personifications of breezes accompany the stately Tellus who suckles twin babies at her breasts.

Detail of the floral carving on the lower exterior

Augustan Architecture

Theater of Marcellus, Rome

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