2000 years of Augustus: the view from Leeds

Penelope J. Goodman, University of Leeds www.weavingsandunpickings.wordpress.com

AugustusThe ‘Prima Porta’ statue

LeedsDrawing of a personification on the Town Hall

Students at work, conducting the survey

Clip-boards full of answer-sheets

We would like to find out which Roman emperors people are most familiar with.

If I ask you to name a Roman emperor, what is the first name that comes to mind?

Question 1

Results for question 1 – name a Roman emperor

Julius Caesar Augustus

Results for question 1 – name a Roman emperor

Results for question 1 – name a Roman emperor

Appearances on the Internet Movie Database

Survey results for Q1 IMDb appearances

Ciarán Hinds in HBO’s Rome

Rex Harrison in Cleopatra (1963)

Caesar’s sticky end: the assassination on

the Ides of March

Cleopatra (1963)

HBO’s Rome

Roddy McDowall in Cleopatra (1963)

Simon Woods in HBO’s Rome

Portrayals of the young Augustus (at that time still called Octavian)

on his rise to power

CLAUDIUS (in voice-over): If Augustus ruled the world, Livia ruled Augustus

Siân Phillips and Brian Blessed in I Claudius (1976)

Appearances by the same emperors on the Internet Movie Database

Survey results for Q1 IMDb appearances

The clipeus virtutis (shield of virtues)

A surviving marble copy of the shield from Arles (southern Gaul)

Augustus, Res Gestae 34:

‘A Golden Shield was set up in the senate house, which, as the inscription on this Shield testifies, was given to me by the Senate and People of Rome in recognition of my virtue, clemency, justice, and piety.’

Forgiving Cruel Just Unjust Pious

Cowardly Brave Weak Strong Immoral

Responsible Reckless Modest Foolish Wise

Stingy Generous Arrogant Aloof Approachable

Clever Manipulative Ambitious Militaristic Selfish

Dishonest Honest Enigmatic Philosophical Inspiring

Caring Ruthless Principled Tyrannical Mad

Extravagant Economical Depraved Restrained Serious

Q5 – select five words which you most associate with Augustus

Roddy McDowall in Cleopatra (1963)

Simon Woods in HBO’s Rome

Portrayals of the young Augustus (at that time still called Octavian)

on his rise to power

Q5 – overall impression

Augustus the contradiction

Seneca the Younger (AD 56), On Clemency 1.11.1 – ‘So his conduct was restrained and merciful? Of course it was! But only after the seas of Actium had been stained with Roman blood.’

The Emperor Julian (AD 361), The Caesars 309a – ‘Octavianus [i.e. Augustus] entered, changing colour continually, like a chameleon, turning now pale, now red. One moment his expression was gloomy, sombre, and overcast, the next he unbent and showed all the charms of Aphrodite and the Graces’

Karl Galinsky (1996), Augustan Culture, p. 370 – ‘The age of Augustus seems rife with contradictions. Octavian’s rise to power had been accompanied by a bloodbath and a ruthlessness that appalled even contemporaries… The rule of the princeps [emperor] was altogether different. It was based on respect for law and precedent.’

Barbara Levick (2010), Image and Substance, p. 8 – ‘We are dealing not so much with contradictory traditions as the tradition of a contradiction.’

Results for question 4 – how / where did you hear of Octavian / Augustus?