Religion and Morality Flashcards
What does Horace identify as problematic behaviour in Rome in Ode 3.6?
- misdeed committed by prior generations – Romulus killing own brother – all the civil wars were a punishment
- women have not been faithful to husbands
- military failure due to slip in moral standards – the men who fought on the Punic Sea had proper moral standards and obedience and hard work
- traditional ideals of modest living turned into indulence and luxury – increase in greed and personal ambition
- politicians sacrificed good of the state for personal advancement
What priesthoods did Augustus hold? What did these do? Who tells us this?
- Pontifex Maximus – organised religious calendar; looked after Vestal Virgins; responsible for relationship of Rome with gods; instructing others in religious activites
- Augur – interpret will of the gods
- Fetiales – responsible for declaration of war or peace treaties
- Quindecimvir – supervised foreign cults in Rome
Res Gestae
What does the Via Labicana statue of Augustus show?
- veiled
- holding bowl for libations (perhaps?) (not there anymore)
- performing a sacrifice?
- shows he is pious
Why was the Ara Pacis commissioned? By who?
honour Augustus’ return after 3 years in Hispania and Gaul
Senate
What does the Ara Pacis depict?
- Procession – lictors; priests; members of Imperial household (Augustus, Agrippa? (veiled), Livia? Gaius Lucius?); attendants
- bearded man making a sacrifice (Aeneas to Venus or Numa)
- seated female goddess representing fertility of Italy (Venus/Peace/Tellus), winds of earth and sea either side; images of harmony, peace, fertility/abundance
- Romulus and Remus suckling on the she-wolf
- Roma seated
What were the secular games? When were they meant to be held? How long were they?
- hope of bringing end to public misfortune
- every 110 years – end of one age, beginning of another
- 3 days and 3 nights
What did the secular games restore?
peace
prosperity
mos maiorum – pietas, fides, virtus
What did the secular games coincide with with Augustus? What did he do in them?
- adopts grandsons Gaius and Lucius
- return of Julian comet
- new measures on morality
- presides over games as Quindecmvir
Who wrote the carmen saeculare? Who was it sung by and where?
- Horace
- Roman youths dressed in white
- temple of Apollo next to Augustus’ house on Palatine hill, and again on the Capitol
What does the Carmen Saeculare speak about and show?
- asks gods for blessings, praising them
- gods have connection to Augustus – Apollo, patron, and Diana
- warlike Apollo and peaceful Apollo – militaristic and civic “versions” of Augustus?
- Venus as mother of Aeneas and Julian gens
- Ilithyia – references Augustus’ social and moral legislation – reminder of how to behave
- reminder of Golden Age brought by Augustus
What were the different worship of the emperors? Why?
in the East – common practice to worship ruler as a god
in the West – not common practice to worship ruler as a god, but common to worship one’s ancestors
Why might Augustus have been interested in introducing moral legislation?
- reviving ideals of Old Republic
- traditionalist
- “holiness”
- stop Rome from suffering wrath of gods for impiety
- gain popularity with the senate
What is the connection between pater patriae and paterfamilias?
paterfamilias – head of household
pater patriae – paterfamilias of the state
What were the Leges Iuliae that Augustus introduced?
- penalising bribery to acquire political offices
- limit marriage across social class
- punish adultery with banishment; two sent to different islands and part of property confiscated; fathers permitted to kill daughters and partners; husbands permitted to kill wives and must divorce adulterous partner; Augustus invoked law against own daughter.
- promotes offspring and discriminates against celibacy
Why did Horace write ode 3.14? What does it tell us?
commemorate return of Augustus from military campaigns in Gaul
- links Livia with practice of religion – participates in sacrifices when husband is away
- Livia is a role model
