University
of Waterloo
Classical
Studies 252/History 252
Ancient
Roman History
Overhead
Lecture Notes
Lecture
# IX
Content
for Test #3
Lecturer
: D. E. A. Hutter
Important:
1. These notes are for D. E. A. Hutter’s section only.
2.
These notes give
only an outline of the lectures,
and
important names and terms. Students are expected to take detailed notes during
the lectures.
3. Text Readings: pages 251 – 299.
CLAS 252/HIST 252
LECTURE # 9
-
THE AUGUSTAN PRINCIPATE –
- OCTAVIANUS’ TITLES & OFFICES -
- MORAL & RELIGIOUS
REFORMS -
- AUGUSTUS’ TWO FAILURES -
-BREAK-
- REVIEW FOR TEST # 3 NEXT WEEK -
- VIDEO: THE AGE OF EMPERORS -
THE AUGUSTAN PRINCIPATE
31 BC
Battle Of Actium
30 BC
Antonius & Cleopatra commit suicide
29 BC Octavianus
returns to Rome in Triumph
-a popular idol
-great honours & titles given
-Doors of the Temple of Janus closed at
Rome
-1st time since 241 BC (3rd
time in history)
Great
intellect and political realist
-aim was to “restore” the Republic government in a way
that he could take up legal Republican powers and make them work for him
-work behind the scenes and make the republic work for
him
-Primus inter
Pares (“first among equals”)
-keep the appearance of a humble servant of the people
(vs Julius Caesar’s arrogance)
-“Make haste slowly” is his motto
Brought
about the Pax Romana (or Pax Augusta), the “Roman Peace”
-stabilize economy, government, social chaos, the
military and the borders
Basis
of his rule is his holding the titles of:
a)
Maius Imperium
-Proconsular power to command armies
b)
Tribunicia Potestas
-Tribune of the People’s power to veto and propose laws, and be sacrosanct
Caesar a name of power & dignity
-becomes Kaiser & Czar in later ages
Imperator
(title
given to successful generals during a Triumph)
-held 27 Triumphs during his career
-adopted it as part of his name (praenomen) in order to emphasize his military past
-becomes the root of “Emperor”
-Octavianus becomes the first Roman Imperator/Emperor
Auctoritas (a man of great authority and prestige)
-personal & family fame and respect
Imperium Maius (Commander-in-Chief)
-permanent authority of a Proconsul
-command all Roman forces anywhere
Tribunician
power (even though a Patrician)
-veto any law & propose laws
-sacrosanct
-acquired this for life in 36 BC
Senatorial
power
-right to sit and debate in the Senate
-highest social class in Rome
Consulship
(highest political office)
-held in 43 BC & 33 to 23 BC
Princeps Civitas or Princeps
- “leader of the state” or “First
Citizen”
Consul
32 to 23 BC
Jan
13, 27 BC “The First Settlement”
-Octavianus (age 35) steps down and resigns all legal
power after “Restoring the Republic”
-Senate hails him as “Augustus” (“The Revered One”) and
begs him not to step down
-first legal step to founding the rule of an
empire/emperor
-reorganizes provinces
-creates Imperial and Senatorial provinces
-Augustus controls Spain, Gaul, Syria & Egypt
(Governor for 10 years)
-all strong military provinces (75% of Army)
-Imperial provinces governed by a legati (as Pompey did
earlier)
-Augustus reorganizes the government
-beginnings of Imperial Cabinet are seen
-creation of an Imperial bureaucracy or civil service
(run Empire from the palace)
-increasing influence of Equestrians and talented
freemen (freed slaves) in the running of the Empire
-creates a stability that survives poor Emperors that
follow him
Dyarchy
arises
-partnership of Augustus/Princeps and the Senate
(Augustus is senior partner)
-old political offices are held and elected as usual
(with Augustus’ suggestions, which are always followed!)
-some candidates even appointed by him
-appearance of a Republic, but Augustus directs affairs
from a distance
27-26
BC finishes conquest of Spain and Gaul, aided by Agrippa
-Rome’s Vietnam ends after two centuries
-last mountain guerilla bands slaughtered in 19 BC
24 BC
Augustus returns to Rome weak, ill & frail
-uncovers a conspiracy against him lead by two respected
and powerful Senators
-realizes that changes must be made
23 BC
“The Second Settlement”
-resigns his consulship (give others a chance and gain
their good will)
-retains Proconsular power and Maius Imperium
-given full Tribunician power (tribunicia potestas)
-veto
-sacrosanct
-summon & introduce legislation to the Senate and
Tribal Assembly
-preside at the election of magistrates (basically
determined who climbed the Cursus Honorum)
In
theory, Augustus is just a super-powerful Roman magistrate
In
reality, at this point Augustus is the first Roman Emperor and the idea of a
Republic is
a
sham/facade
Republic 509-31 BC
Principate 31 BC- 14 AD
Empire 23 BC-476 AD (often includes Principate)
Augustus realized that in order to survive and be successful, he must please 4 groups.
The
Army
-reduces legions from over 70 (500,000 men) to 28
(160,000 men)
-equal number of Auxiliaries
-plenty to guard a 4,000 mile frontier
-demobilized men given land, bonuses and settled in
colonies around the empire
-remaining soldiers have better pay, training, equipment
and conditions
-rich bonuses paid to all soldiers from taxes and
Augustus’ own estate
-key to keeping power
Augustus
creates 9 Cohorts of the Praetorian Guard
-commanded by two Praetorian Prefects, of Equestrian
rank (appointed by Augustus)
-stationed in Italy as his personal bodyguard
-much better pay & conditions than a regular soldier
The
Equestrians
-gave up Consulship to give others the opportunity to
advance their careers
-great influence/status in Imperial Civil Service
-serve as leaders of many Committees
-lucrative contracts in all provinces and “arms
industry”
-Governors of Imperial provinces and the less settled
ones (usually on frontiers)
-Praetorian Prefects & Prefect of the “Vigiles”
-Prefect of the “Annona” (Grain supply)
-Prefect of Egypt (grain bread basket)
-run the Fiscus (Imperial Treasury for the Imperial
provinces)
The
Senate
-reduced their numbers by eliminating unworthy
“riff-raff”
-money given to poorer Senators
-leaders of various Committees (ie Grain, Water etc) and
sections of the Imperial Civil Service
-respected & consulted as was their due
-Governors of more settled provinces (& paid a
salary)
-returned to original role as Advisory Council to
Consuls/Princeps
-Prefect of the Four “Urban Cohorts” (police) since
their legal background would be needed
-run the Aerarium (Senatorial treasury for the
senatorial provinces)
The
People
-peace
-massive rebuilding of Rome, Italy and the Empire
-public works provides jobs
-Forums, Forum of Augustus, temples, aqueducts, sewers, markets
-limited size of insulae
(“islands”)/apartments to 21 m (69 ft)
–provided “bread & circuses” (food, $ &
entertainment) ie Roman welfare
-career in the military
-create four “Urban Cohorts” (police department) in Rome
-create seven Cohorts of “Vigiles” (Watchmen and a Fire
Department”
-create a Prefect of the “Annona” (Grain supply) to make
sure Rome was fed
-create Prefect of the territory of Egypt to control
wheat harvest (no Senator could enter Egypt without permission)
-create Curator of Water Supply to keep aqueducts
running
-1st c AD Rome has 1 million people and 455L
of fresh water/person/day
-claimed to be “Champion of the Roman People’s liberty”
-28 colonies in Italy and 80 other in Empire
-more social mobility and economic opportunity than
during the Republic
18 BC
Lex Papia Poppaea designed to curb immorality, speed up the birth rate, and
revive ancient Roman morality
Livia
Julia
exiled to a desert island in 2 BC!
Laws
to improve the treatment of Slaves
-Vedius Pollio’s crystal goblets and lampreys
No
long engagement
-minimum age for betrothal was 10
-minimum age for marriage was 14 for boys and 12
(usually 14) for girls)
Bachelors
& Spinsters must marry as soon as possible
Widows
under 50 & widowers under 60 must remarry within 3 years
Divorce
people need to remarry within 6 months
Single
people and those without children face economic and political penalties (ie
raise more rapidly through the ranks, or Consul with the most children is
senior Consul)
Pater Familias (male head of the family) may kill an adulterous
daughter & her lover
Husband
may kill his wife’s lover
-if he
does not divorce her he can be charged with “pimping”
-adultery
charges range from fines, to lose of property, to exile & death
Imperial
Postal Service (Cursus Publicus)
Revived
old traditional priesthoods and festivals
-attracts country folk, commoners, freedmen & slaves
Repaired
82 temples in Rome
27 BC
dedicated two new temples to the Divine Julius and Apollo (both protectors of
the Julian dynasty)
13 BC
Senate votes to erect the Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace)
12 BC
made Pontifex Maximus (Chief Priest)
2 BC
Temple of Mars the Avenger
Stirs
a religious revival across Italy & Empire
Rome now
living in a Golden Age of peace, progress & prosperity
Historian
Livy writes well of him
Poet
Virgil’s Aeneid tells of Rome’s/his
greatness
Res Gestae Divi Augusti (Deeds of Augustus)
-"Restores the Republic"
-Proconsular Power
-"Augustus" (revered one)
-month of August (replaces Sextilis/6th
month)
-Consul 13 times
-Tribune 37 years in a row!
-Ranking Senator for 40 years
-Censor
-Pontifex Maximus
-Imperator 21 times
-2 BC "Father of the Country"
-Princeps ("first citizen") vs
Rex
"I
found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble"
a) Germania
-Rome
wishes to extend rule to the Elbe
-Quinctilius
Varus taxation and heavy-handed taxes stirs a revolt in 9 AD
-Arminius
(“Herman the German”) destroys three Roman legions at Teutoburg Forest over
three days
-“Quinctilius
Varus, give me back my legions”
b) Designate heir
Marcellus
married to Augustus’ daughter Julia (died 22 BC)
Agrippa
(co-emperor) married to Julia after Marcellus'’death (died 12 BC)
Gaius
Caesar, adopted from Agrippa (died 4 AD)
Lucius
Caesar, adopted from Agrippa (died 1 BC)
Augustus’
stepson, Tiberius Claudius Nero (Livia’s son by Tiberius Claudius Nero),
adopted in 4 AD (Augustus didn’t like him, but the brooding Tiberius was the
only choice left!)
-forced
to divorce Agrippa’s daughter Vipsania, and marry Augustus’ daughter Julia
Aug
19, 14 AD, 3:00 PM “Have I played my part well? Then clap your hands and take
me off the stage.” (age 76)