Res Gestae 11-20 Cooley

(11) aram Fortunae Reducis

The altar of Fortune the Home-Bringer

When did the senate vote the altar of Fortune the Home-Bringer?

On Augustus' return to Rome, bringing back the standards from Parthia in 19 BC.

ad portam Capenam

at the Capena gate

Why was the temple of Honour and Virtue at the Capena gate a significant location?

It was associated with triumphs. It was the place where the people usually sent off proconsuls to their provinces and welcomed them back. In choosing this location the senate was underlining the triumphal associations of Augustus' return.

When did the vestal virgins appear?

At only the most important occasions

Why was it such a big deal to have names after Augustus himself? Which culture practised this usually?

Unprecedented in Rome. Recalled practice in the Greek East rather than at Rome, where festivals had been named after Roman honorands.

Who were the praetors?

They were second in hierarchy of the senate to the consuls

(12) Although the consul Quintus Lucretius would have been more important than the praetors, why might he have come behind them in the list of people sent to meet Augustus?

Quintus Lucretius was speedily appointed by Aug as consul bc of unrest at Rome when he was away. By naming him as already being consul, Aug is hiding thefact that Lucretius Vespillo was in effect simply appointed by him, and is avoiding having to allude to unrest in the capital.

Who was the consul paired with Tiberius?

Varus who died in Germany in AD 9!

When was the altar of Augustan Peace set up? What was it basically a substitute for? Why was it so significant?

13 BC. A triumph. The cult of Pax Augusta encapsulated the idea that Rome could now enjoy a special relationship with the gods specifically through the mediation of Augustus. This was also the first monument in Rome for the cult of any kind of Pax.

Where was the altar located and why?

1 mile from the pomerium. This was where military power was put aside and so suited the theme of the altar.

Did both altars get an annual sacrifice?

Yes.

(13) Where were the gates of Janus? Who was thought to have started the practice of closing its gates? Why does Aug say "before I was born" (and where is this explored in poetry)? When had the gates been closed before?

In the Roman forum. Numa, Rome's second king. He is making an implicit claim that his birth marked a new age for Rome - connection between birth and gates closing is explored in Jupiter's prophecy to Venus in the Aeneid. At the end of the First Punic War in 235 BC.

What is ambiguous about Augustus' statement that the senate decreed the gates should be closed 3 times? When do we know it was closed? What does Suetonius say about the last time?

This might mean they voted for it to be closed 3 times, but it was actually only closed twice. Closed at the end of the war against Antony and Cleopatra in 29 BC, and at the end of the Cantabrian War in 25 BC.

Why does Augustus refer to himself as princeps?

Cicero had championed the idea of the princeps being beneficial to the state, maintaining that government could only exist when all citizens showed honour to its princeps. He has proposed himself as princeps to protect everyone's liberty after Julius Caesar's assassination!

(14) Who were Gaius and Lucius? When did they die? Which document reveals the posthumous honours given to them?

The sons of Julia and Agrippa whom Aug adopted. Lucius died in AD 2 of an illness, and Gaius in AD 4 after being wounded in Armenia. The Tabula Hebana.

"On which they were brought out into the forum." What does this refer to?

The coming-of-age ceremony, usually at the festival of the Liberalia, when boys changed into the toga virilis. Led into forum by his father and was registered as a full citizen in the tabularium on the Capitol

Why did Augustus resume office as consul in 5 BC and 2 BC?

So he could introduce his sons officially into public life.

"They could take part in the councils of state." What does this mean?

They could take part in meetings of the senate.

What were equestrians given by Augustus?

More streetcred. There was fresh emphasis on membership of the ordo/ the annual parade on horseback was revived/ they were given rows of seats in the theatre

What did the title of "principem iuventutis" suggest?

It suggested that Gaius would in time succeed Augustus as princeps.

Where do pictures of the shields and spears given to Gaius and Lucius appear? Where were they put to commemorate their honour when they died?

On Coins. The curia.

(15) What did all future emperors do that Aug describes here? Was 300 sesterces a significant amount?

Give substantial handouts to people of Rome. Yes - a legionary's annual pay amounted to 900 sesterces so this was a lot of dough.

Why was it so clever of Octavian to give money out to these people "in accordance with my father's will"?

Julius Caesar left 300 sesterces to everyone in Rome in his will. By distributing such largesse in accordance with the terms of his will in 44 BC, the young Caesar presented himself as his true heir and supplanted Antony.

Why was Augustus able to make a big cash handout of 400 sesterces in his 5th consulship?

It was in 29 BC when he had all of Cleopatra's money - huge influx of wealth - interest rates were cut dramatically

Who was eligible for the grain dole? When did Aug provide a additional monthly grain dole for a whole year?

A limited, but substantial, number of adult male citizens. In 23 BC at the time of a severe grain shortage caused by flooding at Rome.

Why does Augustus jump back in time when he mentions the money he gave to colonists who had been his soldiers?

He is making a distinction between handouts to his veterans and handouts to the citizenry of Rome.

Why does he say 120,000 men in the colonies received money despite the fact his legions could only have included around 40,000-50,000 men?

Possibly bc he also gave money to Antony's veterans to secure more widespread support in the colonies.

The last description of men who received the grain refers to who? What is odd about Augustus' phrasing? What does this suggest?

The plebs frumentaria. He is vague about the exact number, which stands in contrast to the precise calculations elsewhere in the RGDA. He did not intend to impose a strict quota of 200,000 on the register of the plebs frumentaria, which Dio thinks was his target, but he did definitely reduce it (had been 320,000 men in 5 BC!)

(16) How did Augustus' way of getting land compare with the triumviral method (hence why he doesn't mention it)? What made his own action especially novel?

He bought land rather than just seizing it. Virgil's Ecologues deals with this. Not the fact that lands were being paid for, but that is was coming out of his own pocket = new.

What year was Octavian's 4th consulship, and what did he do?

30 BC. He gave territory belonging to Italian towns which had supported Antony to his own veterans. He gave Antony's supporters money too, but far away from their home land in places like Carthage.

What was the standard length of service for soldiers?

16 years.

Until when did Augustus fund the cash prizes himself to retiring soldiers?

Till the establishment of the aerarium militare

(17) Give an example of a time when Augustus helped the treasury out by giving them some of his personal cash.

Road building in 16 BC.

Who was in charge of the treasury in the Republic, and in Augustus' time? Why? Who were the regular staff and why?

In the Republic, quaestores urbani, low ranking magistrates. In Augustus' period, 2 praefecti aerarii who had to have been ex-praetors chosen by the senate. He was able to influence which individuals were appointed to serve the treasury. Freedmen and slaves, so Augustus had control over everything.

Why was a military treasury needed?

Augustus had established a professional and permanent army, and so needed a separate treasury to meet the cost of rewards on retirement for veterans. He originally had to fund it himself.

When was Augustus' new senate house dedicated? Why does he start his list of buildings with the senate's meeting place? What inscription was added to it in 2 BC?

29 BC. Augustus is implying that Rome had returned to normal governance. "Pater Patriae."

Do we know what a chalcicidum is?

Not really.

When was the temple of Apollo dedicated? Why was Apollo such an important god for Augustus? Where was it built? What did Aug transfer there in 17 BC?

28 BC. He had played a decisive role in the battle of Actium, according to the Augustan poets. On the Palatine, adjacent to Augustus' house. The Sibylline oracles.

Where was the temple of the deified Julius built, and when had it been decreed by the senate?

The east end of the Roman forum. 42 BC.

What was the lupercal?

A large cave at the base of the Palatine, locatd in a grove where Romulus and Remus were suckled by the she-wolf.

Who had dedicated the Octavian portico? When and why was it rebuilt?

A praetor called Octavius who confusingly had nothing to do with Augustus' family (tho he kept that quiet). It was rebuilt in 33 BC bc it had been destroyed by fire.

What was a pulvinar? When and why was it rebuilt?

An elevated structure built into the seating at the Circus. Displayed statues of the gods and gave them a place to "watch" the games. Destroyed by fire in 31 BC.

What was special about the temple of Jupiter Feretrius? Who had built it originally and so why did Aug want to rebuild it?

It was the oldest in Rome. Romulus - Augustus wanted to assimilate his role to that of its original founder.

Why was the temple of Jupiter the Thunderer vowed and when?

Augustus had narrowly escaped being struck by lightning. 22 BC.

Where were the temples of Minerva, Juno and Jupiter Libertas?

On the Aventine hill, which was considered to have strong links with the plebs.

What did the penates and the lares do? Who were thought to have been brought by?

They protected both the state and the households, thought to have been brought from Troy by Aeneas.

When was the temple of the Great Mother restored? Its position on the south-west slope of the Palatine set it into the context of what?

3AD. The archaic Rome of Romulus.

(20) The Capitoline temple honoured which gods?

Jupiter, Juno and Minerva = central to Rome's identity

Why did Augustus take pains to restore Pompey's theatre and put his statue in it, despite the fact he was Julius Caesar's great rival?

He wanted to emulate him because he was widely thought of as a world conqueror.

Who actually made the most improvements to Rome's water supply, increasing it by 70%? When he died in 12 BC, what did Augustus do?

Agrippa when he was an aedile. He repaired the aqueduct system as a whole and established the office of curatores aquarum (water commissioners) to oversee the system

What was the underground channel called which Augustus linked to the aqua Marcia to increase its supply? When?

the aqua augusta. 11-4 BC.

When had Julius Caesar dedicated his new forum? What was it meant to be used for?

46 BC. It was meant to be used for political and judicial affairs rather than just business.

Why does Aug say he restored 82 temples of the gods?

It was believed that maintaining a good relationship with the gods meant prosperity for Rome. It was crucial to Aug's claim that he was restoring Roman society to be seen as protector of Roman religious practices.

Why was it important for Augustus to sort out the roads and appoint a roads' commissioner?

They were vital for tackling the logistical problems faced by the now massive capital.

What does the Mulvian bridge cross?

The Tiber (2 miles to the north of Rome).