Diefied Augustus Religion Analysis

Suetonius’ Depiction of Augustus’ Attitudes Towards Family and Religion

Lives of the Caesars- Diefied Augustus, was written by Gauis Suetonius Tranquilius. It was basically a biography on the life of Augustus, which was written towards the general public in 121 AD (during the reign of Emperor Hadrian). Diefied Augustus has many references to Augustus’ connection to his family and his approach to religion. Suetonius begins by telling us that Augustus (born Gauis Octavius Thurinus) was the son of Gauis Octavius- a man of great wealth and reputation. He had one younger sister Octavia, who was born to the same mother, and an elder half-sister also named Octavia (daughter of Octavius and Ancharia). His mother Aria was the niece of Julius Caesar.
It is at this point in the book that Suetonius introduces the hostility between Marc Antony and Augustus. He quotes an insult, which Marc Antony directed towards Augustus’ family and ancestry- saying that his maternal grandfather was a baker from Africa, thus trying to degrade Augustus’ authority. Rewinding back to Augustus’ youth, Suetonius tells of Augustus’ father dying when he was 4 years old (being that he was fatherless from such age the idea that Julius Caesar was a father figure to him, and a mentor, was so grand to him). When he was 12 years old, Augustus gave a eulogy speech at his grandmother Julia’s funeral (Ch. 8), depicting leadership and oratory skills from an early age. The first association of Augustus and Julius Caesar is found in chapter 8. It expresses that Julius Caesar’s first impression of Augustus was during the war with the sons of Pompey, in Spain. Despite recently recovering from an illness Augustus got up and followed his great-uncle Julius, out to war. This act of goodwill found favor in the eyes of the Caesar, who now had a strong and lasting impression of Augustus’ dedication to him and to Rome (Ch. 8). Following Caesars assassination in 44 BC, Augustus was named his heir. Augustus vowed to avenge his great-uncles death, which he viewed as a moral duty and his responsibility to the republic (Ch. 10). Later on, after the capture of Perusia, Suetonius records that Augustus picked out three hundred senators and equestrians to be sacrificed on the Ides of March (anniversary of Julius Caesar’s death) at the altar of the Divine Julius (Chapter 15). This action connotes both Augustus’ religious beliefs (i.e. the altar and the fact he deified Julius) and his high respect for his great uncle and predecessor, Julius Caesar. Following his victory at Actium, Augustus enlarged the Temple of Apollo, and decorated it with spoils of war, which he dedicated to Mars (Roman god of war) and Neptune ([Roman god of sea] Ch. 18). Another instance, after the Dalmatian wars Augustus forced certain German chieftains, who submitted to his rule, to take an oath in the Temple of Mars the Avenger, as a way to authenticate their claim to observe the peace (Ch. 19). These are examples of Augustus’ commitment to the gods as a token of gratitude for helping him expand the empire. Overall Augustus’ devotion towards the Roman gods were sincere. However, the following tale I found rather interesting; In chapter 16 Suetonius describes Augustus’ actions during the war of Sicily- “Others criticize his words and actions, claiming that when the ships were lost in storm he had cried out that he would conquer even against the will of Neptune and that the next time the circus games were held, he had Neptune’s image removed from the festival procession”. In this account, Augustus showed complete disregard for Neptune, the Roman god of water and sea, and a symbol of Roman religion. It was one of the few times, if ever, that Suetonius depicted Augustus showing disrespect to the gods. It made me wonder that maybe, in times of danger and uncertainty, as mentioned above, Augustus shows no regard for the gods, and that in times of victory and prosperity he goes forth and builds temples to the gods, offers sacrifices etc. This left me bewildered as to how strong Augustus’ religious beliefs were. Later on, Suetonius depicts Augustus’ behavior during another time of defeat, those of Lollius and Varus in Germany. And this time Augustus’ mind-set was different; It says that Augustus vowed major games in honor of Jupiter (king of the Roman gods), in hope that the state return to a better condition (Ch. 23) Regarding Augustus’ relation with his family when they intertwined with laws of the republic; Suetonius tells, that after the civil wars Augustus stopped to refer any of his soldiers as ‘comrades’ but as ‘soldiers’, for the term comrades is very gratifying and not appropriate for military use.
Even his sons (really his grandsons, sons by adoption) and his stepsons were not allowed to be referred to by any other names, because military order came before the dignity of his own family (Ch. 25) Suetonius goes on to say, Augustus had increased the number and dignity of the priests and gave them vast privileges, especially in the cases replacing a dead Vestal Virgin. Many times, priests tried to use all their influence and did all they could to avoid their daughters being put in the lottery to be “Rome’s Next Vestal Virgin”. Augustus swore that if any one of his granddaughters had been of age, he would’ve gladly put their names forward (Ch. 31). The two cases mentioned above demonstrate how Augustus put the matters of the state before his family, and this is an honorable trait for a leader- to be equal with the peoples he governs. Augustus also used his family as a model for the republic- in the laws of marriages and bearing children. He brought forward the large family of Germanicus (Augustus’ step-grandson) and Agrippina (Augustus’ granddaughter), who had many children and advised that people should take example of this wonderful
family.

Family and Religion in the Res Gestae Divi Augusti
The Res Gestae Divi Augusti (Latin: “Deeds of the Divine Augustus”), is an elogium, written by Augustus, on his life and lifetime achievements. Augustus wrote this as something for people to remember him by. The Res Gestae was not only geared for the literate but for everybody. Augustus wanted that his name, and all he stood for, to be remembered. The text can be split into four sections- the first (Chapters 2-14) describes Augustus’ political career and all the titles he held. The second (Chapter 15-24) lists all Augustus’ public benefactions, which included his donations of money, land grants to Roman citizens, and games he organized. The third section (Chapters 25-33) describes his military achievements and all the alliances he made. The fourth section (Chapters 34+35) is a political statement, which tells about his exceptional political position in the Roman government.
In the Res Gestae, Augustus makes many connotations to religious acts- such as the many temples he built to the gods etc (Chapters 19, 20, 21). He also makes numerous references to members of his family. But one thing, which he did not mention throughout his entire work, was anything regarding his biological father or mother. He only makes references to Julius Caesar as his father (Chapters 2, 20). I believe the reason for this is, that each time Augustus’ family was mentioned in the Res Gestae, it was regarding a matter that was linked in somewhat to the state and/or religion (such as, honoring a temple in the name of his grandsons, and referring to the Divine Julius a god-like figure etc). And even though Augustus’ true father Gauis Octavius was a man of high importance and was to be entered to the consul (had he not died), he was nothing compared to the “Divine Julius Caesar”, who had such an effect on the republic, and this is why, I believe that Augustus would rather be remembered as Julius Caesar’s son, and not “the son of Octavius”.
I noticed one more little discrepancy between the accounts of Suetonius and Augustus. In chapter 14 of the Res Gestae it mentions how the senate sought to honor Augustus, through allowing his sons- Gaius and Lucius to become consuls at the age of 14. This is an act that elevated the status of Augustus’ children in the republic. However, in Suetonius’ work, chapter 25, he mentions how Augustus did not differentiate his sons from the rest of the common folk regarding their status in the military. He regarded them all equal in the republic.
As I mentioned above, Augustus consecrated many temples in honor and in the name of his family members. He also allowed the senate to name many things in his own honor (though sometimes he refused, but they insisted on it). In chapter 20 Augustus tells of how he completed the Forum of Julius, (which his father began but died in the process) and beside it, he ordered that two basilicas, which had been burnt-down, be rebuilt in the honor of his sons. He also tells of how he built a theatre at the Temple of Apollo, in honor of his son-in-law, Marcus Marcellus (Ch. 21). Augustus continues describing how he organized gladiator shows and brought athletes from all over the globe, sometimes in his own honor, and numerous more times in honor of his grandsons (Ch. 22). Augustus carries on, describing how the senate erected silver statues of himself in cities throughout the empire. He accounts that he himself took down every one, and with the money, sacrificed golden offerings in his name and in the name of the statues’ benefactors (Ch. 24). Lastly, Augustus mentions that a special holiday was named in his honor, Augustalia, and sacrifices were offered on the August altar, both in honor of his victorious battles and his safe return (Chapters 11+12). I believe that the reason Augustus commemorated so many things in his family’s honor, and allowed for the senate to honor his name on so many instances, was so that his family’s name will always be remembered as the restorers of the republic.