Emperor Worship

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Emperor Worship
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The creation of the cult of the Emperor

• Egypt Pharoah
• South and East of Italy
• Alexander the Great prostration
• Hellenistic Kings and Roma
• Olympia
• Aeneas
• Julius Caesar
• Julian Family Iulus, son of Aeneas Grandson
  of Venus
• Dictator
• Masses comet

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The creation of the cult of the Emperor

• Parentalia and Feralia
• Ancestors memorialised in family home
• Masks
• In Roman Triumph victorious general
• Impersonate Jupiter for one day

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The creation of the cult of the Emperor

• Based on power concept
• Life changing
• Descent from the gods
• Respect beyond that of normal men
• After death

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Julius Caesars heir - Octavian

• Mark Antony and Cleopatra 31 BC
• Wars finished relief and guilt
• Why did this happen to us?
• Pax deorum war as punishment
• Not religious BUT determined
• Restore stability
• Promote ancient religion
• 27BC Augustus a person in whom numen was
  increased

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Augustus

• Temples to Roma et Augusta in East
• Later West assassination
• Flamen of Roma et Augusta
• Gave himself the title divi filius
• Established the cult of Numen Augusti
• January 17
• Stoics
• Altars to Numen Augusti set up in provinces
• NB. No excessive honours for living emperors
  declared divine after death

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Revival of Old Religion

• During war rituals ignored
• Temples damaged, destroyed or left to fall into
  ruin
• In 28 BC rebuilt 82 temples
• Filled vacant priesthoods
• Promoted worship of old gods in new guise
• Built new forum

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Revival of Old Religion

• Built temple of Mars honouring him as father of
  Romes founder Romulus
• Honoured as Mars the Avenger as well help
  Augustus right wrongs
• 1 murder of Julius Caesar
• 2 slaughter by Parthians
• Promoted worship of Apollo
• 31 BC God of Healing
• Augustus stated that he had helped him at Actium
• Built a large temple to Apollo on Palatine

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Revival of Old Virtues

• dedication to duty
• sense of responsibility
• simple tastes
• character training
• hard work
• manliness and courage
• firmness of purpose
• Being sensible
• Respect for human personality
• Mercy/compassion of weak/defeated

• Pietas
• Gravitas
• Frugalitas
• Disciplina
• Industria
• Virtus
• Constantia
• Simplicitas
• Humanistas
• Clementia

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Poets Help

• Uneducated - countryside
• Educated
• Religious tolerance
• Virgil - religious
• Horace not religious
• 17BC at Secular Games

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Ara Pacis 13BC
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Ara Pacis
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Ara Pacis
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Ara Pacis
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Declaring an Emperor Divine

• Julius Caesar
• Augustus
• Special Cases
• Caligula
• Nero
• Domitian
• Commodus

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Declaring an Emperor Divine
Victor Garber
Nero
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And on a side note
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And on a side note
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Connecting with divinities

• Julius Caesar established the practice of tracing
  his line back to Iulus Aeneas Venus and
  Anchises
• After he became dictator he accepted honours
  reserved for gods arrogance that led to death
• Augustus had personal devotion Apollo
• Believed the god protected him
• Temple to Apollo on Palatine Hill
• Included Apollo in prayers to the great gods

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Genius of Emperor

• Roman Pantheon set of gods
• Cult based on single ruling figure
• provide a focus for religious unity
• Promoted two cults
• 1 Genius his guardian spirit(Genius Augusti
  )
• 2 Numen his divine power or will
• Old custom of worshipping Genius of paterfamilia
• Worshipped on birthday

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Julius Caesar

• He died at the age of 55 and was declared a god
  and this declaration was not mere words, for the
  common people really believed it. In fact, at the
  first games given by his heir Augustus in honour
  of the new god a comet was visible from about the
  eleventh hour over a period of seven consecutive
  days and was believed to be the soul of Caesar
  now resident in heaven. This is why statues of
  Caesar now include a star on top of his head.
• (Suetonius Julius Caesar)

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Augustus

• And so for all these excellent reasons you made
  him your leader as Father of the People, honoured
  him with (amongst other things) a lengthy series
  of consulships, and finally proclaimed him a
  demigod and declared him to be immortal. So it
  behoves us not to weep for him, but forthwith to
  give his body back to nature and forever glorify
  his soul as a gods.
• (Dio Cassius)

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READ pg 33 Tiberius (26)

• What are the three reasons for not wanting honour?