‘The literary sources are the most effective at creating a lasting positive impression of Augustus’ TWEDYA?
Full essay plan and written essay excluding conclusion but still received 28/30
‘The literary sources are the most effective at creating a lasting positive impression of
Augustus’ TWEDYA?
Overall, I would argue, the extent to which literary sources are the most effective at creating
a lasting positive image of Augustus depends on the audience it is being shown to. Literary
sources will arguably have more influence on creating a positive image to those who are
able to read them and know the context behind them, whereas, visual sources may be more
influential to those with a less in depth knowledge of Augustus and his political context.
Additionally, the extent to which a source is deemed to have a positive lasting impression is
influenced by the image that Augustus would have wanted, he was keen to be seen as a
strong military commander, a religious leader and a restorer of the republic.
Literary
For
literary sources are the most effective at creating a lasting positive image of Augustus as
they explicitly state his achievements.
- E.g. Res Gestae – written by Augustus to be inscribed outside of the outside the
Mausoleum of Aug
- Augustus discusses many different aspects of his public image in a way which
portrays him as a well-rounded figure
- Written by augustus so he can control his portrayal
- military success ‘I recovered the military standards that had been lost by other
generals’
- particularly impressive as many other roman figures such as Mark Antony and Julius
Caesar had tried and failed to retrieve the standards
- HOWEVER - would not be as effective in creating a positive image to an audience
without the context of this
- Justifies efforts - ‘transferred the republic from my power to the control of the
senate and the roman people’, this shows him to be a bringer of peace and restorer
of the republic
- written outside the mausoleum as well as on many locations across the empire
would mean it is displayed to a wide audience
HOWEVER - the effectiveness of this source in creating a positive impression of Augustus is
limited as it requires that the audience is able to read, this means although the source
would be successful in creating a positive image of Augustus to the more wealthy members
of society who had been educated, it would not be as effective at reaching lower classes of
society that were illiterate.
literary sources are the most effective at creating a lasting positive image of
Augustus as the poems can be passed through generations. Poems are works of
literature that will be studied by future generations
- poems – seen as pater patriae
- e.g. Horace odes 4.4 - Horace discusses the upbringing of Drusus, Augustus’ stepson
augustus shown to be a key figure in Drusus’ upbringing, thus the positive way that Drusus is
depicted can be attributed to Augustus.
- Horace says ‘but education improves inborn qualities’ - Augustus’ education makes
Drusus successful - down to Augustus’ ‘nurturing’
, - positive impact of Augustus as a father figure - associate him with being a strong
leader and father of Rome.
- Drusus has similar attributes to Augustus
- E.g. simile - ‘winged agent’ Drusus = eagle - used in relation to his military success
against a Germanic - similar to Augustus’ as imperator
- highlights Augustus’ importance in Drusus upbringing as he is teaching him how to
be successful in battle.
- creates a lasting image of Augustus as fatherly on a large scale as these poems are
circulated far and wide so they will reach a large audience and for a longer timer
period.
- HOWEVER, as above the extent to which these poems will be is dependent on
whether the audience is being educated on these sources and whether they are able
to read.
- HOWEVER, it could be said some of these poems will not be as effective in creating a
lasting image as they are specific to one event - may become less relevant over time.
- E.g. Horace Epodes 9 - focuses on battle of Actium.
- ‘Let’s delight in banishing fear and anxiety’- although shows augustus to successful
in destroying military
- it could be said it will not be as effective as it is only based around one event in
history, thus people will have less interest in it over time – will not see impacts as
positive as they don’t face consequences
AGAINST
It could be said literary sources are not effective in creating a lasting positive image as
after Augustus’ reign they were not monitored to the same extent so do not depict him
in an all positive way.
- E.g. Suetonius
- More believable to modern audience – based on imperial archives – not bias
- Contrast to res gestae – all positive - modern readers see it to be disingenuous –
sceptical
- Augustus shown to commit adultry – took ‘an ex consuls wife from the dining room
table to the bedroom before the man’s eyes’ – breaking his own moral laws and
disrespecting colleagues
- Contrasts to ‘moral decadence’ – people who commit adultery supposedly ‘defiled
the marriage bed’ – shows Augustan literature to be biased and not truthful
- This seems to be less lasting in comparison to literature written after Augustus’
death – when given both sources Suetonius’ seems to be more trustworthy – to an
extent makes Augustus’ literature less effective in upholding a positive image
AGAINST
Additionally, it could be said literary sources are not the most effective in creating a
lasting positive image as visual sources are arguably more influential in creating a lasting
impression.
- E.g. prima porta – shows augustus as a bringer of peace and a military commander
- Military – visually – adlocutio pose, palludamentum, idealised image – young and
muscular – retrieving standards
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