Introduction
The Res Gestae Divi Augustus (‘The Deeds of the Divine Augustus’), also known simply as the Res Gestae was a catalogue of the achievements Augustus had made during his life, specifically those that had an obvious positive impact on the Roman people. It was written in 13-14AD (E.S. Ramage, 1987) and presented to the Vestal Virgins alongside Augustus’ will upon his death in 14AD (M.C. Howatson, 1937). The biography, which was carved into bronze pillars outside of Augustus’ mausoleum (M.C. Howatson, 1937), is split into 35 sections; each recognizing a separate part of Augustus’ excellence. The fifteenth, which will be discussed in this commentary, describes the notable largesses donated to the Roman people by Augustus throughout his
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Res Gestae is a bibliographical source written from the point of view of Augustus during his reign as Emperor of the Roman Empire. It was used as a way of remembering and glorifying his rule, and it is therefore important to remember that there is heavy bias towards the greatness of Augustus throughout the entire piece. It is written in the first person, which greater emphasizes exactly how much the Res Gestae was used as a piece of propaganda, as it emphasizes the personal contribution of Augustus to each donation he …show more content…
This is not to say that Caesar did not support those of the patrician class, in fact he was more than generous to those of a higher class. He supported Hortalus, grandson of the orator Hortensius, by giving him one million sesterces in order to maintain the family’s position (Tacitus, Annals 2.37, cited by R. Ridley, 2003), and this was not the only example of his giving to patricians. We must then consider why he emphasizes his generosity to the common people, and I think that the key to this is the placement of the source. Res Gestae was inscribed upon pillars in a public area- it was designed to be seen by those of all classes, not just those of a higher class, like many forms of literature were in Augustus’ era. He wants those who will see his work to look upon him in a favourable light, and the best way for Augustus to achieve this was to make himself out to be a friend to the common people.
It is also interesting to note that Augustus is never referred to as an Emperor in this text- this is the best evidence of how the Res Gestae was tailored to please the people as much as possible, as the title Emperor shows the power Augustus had too clearly- the Romans had a hatred of dictators and tyrants inspired by the Roman Kingdom. Instead of referring to himself as Emperor, Augustus uses his consulship or tribunician power for a time frame,
The Roman Republic (Res Pvblica Romana) was a form of republican government that was established in 509 BCE to replace the monarchy government that had reigned over Rome since the founding in 753BCE (Steele, 2012). The Failure of the Roman Republic was inevitable as it was an unjust system of government and it was left vulnerable after the attempted changes instigated by the Gracchi, as the Gracchi exposed the weaknesses in the political structure allowing future politicians to manipulate the system. The sources used throughout the essay, which include Plutarch, Appian, Florus and Velleius, will need to be examined closely as each source will demonstrate different views on the Gracchi, as the authors purpose of writing will differ. The Gracchi had set out to change Rome for the better, however in the process; they exposed the internal flaws of the government which resulted in the beginning of the decline of the Roman Republic.
From ages past, the actions of conquerors, kings and tyrants had brought the Roman Republic to a stance that opposed any idea of a singular leader, of a single man that held total power over the entirety of the state. Their rejection of the various ruthless Etruscan rulers that had previously dictated them brought the Republic to existence in 509 BC , and as a republic their prominence throughout the provinces of the world exponentially expanded. Throughout these years, the traditions of the Romans changed to varying degrees, most noticeably as a result of the cultural influence that its subject nations had upon the republic, as well as the ever-changing nature of Roman society in relation to then-current events. However, it was not until the rise of Augustus, the first of a long line of succeeding emperors, that many core aspects of the Republic were greatly changed. These were collectively known as the “Augustan Reforms”, and consisted of largely a variety of revisions to the social, religious, political, legal and administrative aspects of the republic’s infrastructure. Through Augustus, who revelled in the old traditional ways of the past, the immoral, unrestraint society that Rome was gradually falling to being was converted to a society where infidelities and corruption was harshly looked upon and judged. The Roman historian Suetonius states, “He corrected many ill practices, which, to the detriment of the public, had either survived the licentious habits of the late civil wars, or else originated in the long peace” . Through Augustus and his reforms, the Republic was transformed into an Empire, and through this transformation, Rome experienced one of its greatest and stabl...
In conclusion, Augustus has written his personal account and presented himself as popular and successful leader. He did many things that helped society as well as did many things that did nothing long term. Augustus may have done things for only the betterment of himself but they did pay off when it all came to an
...gustus. (n.d.). The Internet Classics Archive | The Deeds of the Divine Augustus by Augustus. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html
Livy’s The Rise of Rome serves as the ultimate catalogue of Roman history, elaborating on the accomplishments of each king and set of consuls through the ages of its vast empire. In the first five books, Livy lays the groundwork for the history of Rome and sets forth a model for all of Rome to follow. For him, the “special and salutary benefit of the study of history is to behold evidence of every sort of behaviour set forth as on a splendid memorial; from it you may select for yourself and for your country what to emulate, from it what to avoid, whether basely begun or basely concluded.” (Livy 4). Livy, however, denies the general populace the right to make the same sort of conclusions that he made in constructing his histories. His biased representation of Romulus and Tarquin Superbus, two icons of Roman history, give the readers a definite model of what a Roman should be, instead of allowing them to come to their own conclusion.
4)Rosenstein, Nathan Stewart., and Robert Morstein-Marx. A Companion to the Roman Republic. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2006. Print.
Over the span of five-hundred years, the Roman Republic grew to be the most dominant force in the early Western world. As the Republic continued to grow around the year 47 B.C it began to go through some changes with the rise of Julius Caesar and the degeneration of the first triumvirate. Caesar sought to bring Rome to an even greater glory but many in the Senate believed that he had abused his power, viewing his rule more as a dictatorship. The Senate desired that Rome continued to run as a republic. Though Rome continued to be glorified, the rule of Caesar Octavian Augustus finally converted Rome to an Empire after many years of civil war. Examining a few selections from a few ancient authors, insight is provided as to how the republic fell and what the result was because of this.
Scarre, Christopher. Chronicle of the Roman Emperors: The Reign-by-reign Record of the Rulers of Imperial Rome. London: Thames and Hudson, 1995. Print.
...4 AD, one month away from his 76th birthday. Augustus’s ultimate legacy was the peace and prosperity the empire was to enjoy for the next two centuries under the system he started. Augustus’s patience and his tact all played a part in re-establishing Rome and directing the future of the empire down many lasting paths.
Dio, Cassius. "Roman History - Book 50." 17 June 2011. University of Chicago. 31 October 2011 .
The Res Gestae was written by Augustus shortly before his death in 14 AD. It gives details about his life and many achievements as the first Roman emperor. The main purpose of the Res Gestae was for Augustus to preserve the memory of himself as a great emperor whose achievements transformed Rome into a great empire. The original was transcribed onto a pair of bronze pillars in Rome following his death but it didn’t survive. There is a copy that exists in Ankara, Turkey in front of a temple for Augustus.
Shelton, J.A. (1998). As the Romans Did: A Sourcebook in Roman Social History. (2nd ed.) New York: Oxford University Press.
...picture, that on the verge of its collapse the Roman Republic, was a society composed of internal flaws. The Republic namely submitted to its own internal divisions, on multiple levels, from the divisions inherent to any society based on a slave economy, to divisions within the proto-democracy of the Senate itself. Inequalities between the haves and the have nots, as well as inequalities and struggles for power and control on the very highest level of Roman society created a general instability of the Republic, thus making its collapse not a miraculous or shocking event, but almost something to the effect of the removal of an illusion. With the collapse of the Republic, the internal tensions and conflict that constituted Roman life on multiple levels merely finalized themselves, taking a new political form that followed the same path as previous the political form.
Heichelheim, Fritz, Cedric A. Yeo, and Allen M. Ward. A History Of The Roman People. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc., 1984.
“Augustus: Res Gestae Divi Augusti (14 CE).” ABC-CLIO. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2013. <>.