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Imperial Image- 25 marker model answer
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Imperial Image- 25 marker model answer- achieved grade A- AS level question- please do not plagiarise
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Classics Tracker: Imperial Image: 25 marker‘Most Romans thought that Augustus was the perfect Pater Patriae’ Explain how far the sources you
have studied show that this statement is true. In your answer, you should consider Augustus’
success in portraying his role as Pater Patriae to different classes of Roman society.
Asses to what extent you agree that Augustus used religion to create a positive image of himself.
Augustus throughout his lifetime made many influential changes and contributions to the Roman
Empire, previously Republic, both the benefit of himself and his lineage and for the enrichment and
growth of Rome. One of his main methods of contribution was through religious aspects of the
Roman civilisation as Religion was a key factor in the lives of all roman citizens. This essay shall
discuss how Augustus’ religious campaign benefited the people of Rome and why that helped display
his Image in a positive light.
One way Augustus used religion to benefit his personal image was through religious monuments for
the Roman people to uses and appreciate such as the Ara Pacis. The Ara Pacis was a an open-air
Altar for the use of the roman people that was dedicated to the victory's of Augustus’ in Spain and
Gaul and has significant religious iconography. The Ara Pacis has four main panels that each depict
different religious messages, such as the processional panel that depicts messages of both the
importance of religion and family, by having Augustus, the consul, depicted in traditional religious
garments in the priests and augurs part of the procession which is followed the Julian line with
Augustus’ heirs presented as leading that part of the procession highlighting the importance of
religion and family while placing key significance of the role of religion. Furthermore the Ara Pacis
also depicts key Sumi Viri figures, who are essential in the founding of Rome, such as Aneas,
Romulus and Remus, and the she-wolf Lupercal, which significantly implies the importance of
religious piety as a sign of mos maiorum which would have served as essential propaganda to the
Roman citizens of all classes, Patricians and Plebians alike, that Augustus had the best interest of the
Roman Republic in mind and his military campaigns, which the Ara Pacis was dedicated to, were act
of religious piety to the Gods for the benefit of the Republic therefor impacting positively on the
image that Augustus’ was crafting of himself to the people. Furthermore, the aforementioned
depiction of the she-wolf Lupercal, who nursed the twins Romulus and Remus as babies, is further
propaganda that portrays a positive image of Augustus to the Roman citizen’s as a time of the Ara
Pacis’ construction/dedication, Augustus was also engaged in restoring the cave of the Lupercal as a
sacred site of Rome, which significantly was part of Augustus’ campaign of religious restoration
where he restored, or rebuilt/built, 82 places of religious importance to the Roman Republic, as is
evidenced by Res Gestae Divi Augusti 19; “I built the Curia and the Chalcidium adjacent to it, the
temple of Apollo on the Palatine with porticoes, the temple of the Divine Julius, the Lupercal...”
Another way Augustus used religion to portray his personal image in a positive light was the Secular
Games, which had previously been held to honour the gods of death, but introduced were the Gods
Apollo, Diania and Leto likely by Augustus in 27 BCE. The games were a religious celebration
involving sacrifices and theatrical performances held for three days and nights to mark the end of
one secularism and the beginning of another. The games had died out some pion during the
Republic and Augustus reintroduced them a form of propaganda displaying Augustus as ushering in
an era of peace for the Roman Empire/Republic , going as far to close the gates of the temple of
Janus, and benefiting Augustus’ personal image by displaying him as pious with highlighted aspects
of mos maiorum and showing him to be great imperator, displaying his civil wars with Mark Antony
necessary for the benefit of the Republic. Moreover Augustus demonstrates his respect for the
republic in his Res Gestae 9 when he states that “The Senate decreed that in every fifth year vows
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