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9780521841528 - RES GESTAE DIVI AUGUSTI - Text, Translation, and Commentary - By Alison E. Cooley
Frontmatter/Prelims

RES GESTAE DIVI AUGUSTI

At the end of his life the emperor Augustus wrote an account of his achievements in which he reviewed his rise to power, his conquest of the world, and his unparalleled generosity towards his subjects. This edition provides a new text, translation and detailed commentary – the first substantial one in English for more than four decades – which is suitable for use by students of all levels. The commentary deals with linguistic, stylistic, and historical matters. It elucidates how Augustus understood his role in Roman society, and how he wished to be remembered by posterity; and it sets this picture that emerges from the Res Gestae into the context of the emergence both of a new visual language and of an official set of expressions. The book also includes illustrations in order to demonstrate how the Augustan era witnessed the rise of a whole new visual language.

Alison E. Cooley is Senior Lecturer in Classics and Ancient History at the University of Warwick. Recent books include Becoming Roman, Writing Latin? Literacy and Epigraphy in the Roman West (2002, edited), and Pompeii (2004).

RES GESTAE DIVI AUGUSTI

Text, Translation, and Commentary

Alison E. Cooley

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
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© Alison E. Cooley 2009

This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press.

First published 2009

Printed in the United Kingdom at the University Press, Cambridge

A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication dataAugustus, Emperor of Rome, 63 BC–14 AD[Res gestae divi Augusti. English and Latin]Res gestae divi Augusti / text, translation, and commentary,Alison E. Cooley.p. cm.Includes bibliographical references and indexes.ISBN 978-0-521-84152-8 (hbk.) – ISBN 978-0-521-60128-3 (pbk.)1. Rome – History – Augustus, 30 BC–14 AD 2. Augustus, Emperor of Rome,63 BC–14 AD I. Cooley, Alison. II. Title.DG279.A413 2009937′.07 – dc222008055927

ISBN 978-0-521-84152-8 hardback
ISBN 978-0-521-60128-3 paperback

Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate.

For Paul

Contents

List of illustrations
 viii
Preface
 xi
List of abbreviations
 xii
Maps 1–4
 xiv
Introduction
 1
1             ‘Queen of inscriptions’
 1
2             RGDA at Rome
3
3             RGDA in its provincial contexts
6
a             Ancyra
 7
b             Antioch near Pisidia
 13
c             Apollonia
 16
d             Mechanisms for publication
 18
4             The language of the RGDA
 22
a             Stylistic characteristics of the Latin text
 22
b             Features of the Greek translation
 26
5             The messages of the RGDA
 30
6             Date of composition
 42
7             Transmission of the text and previous study of the monuments
 43
a             Ancyra
 43
b             Pisidian Antioch
 46
c             Apollonia
 47
8             Reinterpretations of the RGDA
 48
a             Roman responses
 48
b             Mussolini and the RGDA
 51
Res Gestae Divi Augusti: text and translation
57
Commentary
 102
Appendix
 279
Bibliography
 282
Index locorum
 302
General index
 305

Illustrations

MAPS

1             City of Rome
 xiv
2             Roman forum
 xv
3             Asia Minor
 xvi
4             Roman empire and beyond
 xvii
5             Egypt, Arabia, and Aethiopia
 226

TABLES

1             Augustus’ acclamations as imperator
 122
2             Animal hunts organized by Augustus
 209

FIGURES

1             Mausoleum of Augustus
 4
2             Temple of Rome and Augustus, Ancyra
 8
3             Temple of Rome and Augustus, Ancyra: ground plan
 9
4             RGDA, Latin version at Ancyra
10
5             RGDA, Greek version at Ancyra
11
6             Architectural context of RGDA at Pisidian Antioch
15
7             Context of RGDA at Apollonia
17
8             Res Gestae, as reinscribed for Mussolini on the outer wall of the Ara Pacis museum, Rome
52
9             Octavian, defender of liberty. Cistophorus of Ephesus, 28 bc
 110
10            Antony's head bound with a wreath of ivy; bust of Octavia upon a cista mystica
 111
11            Octavian, veiled and laureate, driving a plough drawn by oxen
 119
12            Gemma Augustea
 125
13            Augustus and Agrippa as colleagues
 133
14            Statue of Augustus, from the via Labicana, Rome
 136
15            Augustus’ accumulation of priesthoods
 137
16            Diagram indicating decorative scheme on Ara Pacis Augustae
 155
17            Ara Pacis Augustae, Rome: interior scene of sacrifice
157
18            Comparison of coin and intaglio
 163
19            Gaius and Lucius as principes iuventutis
 167
20            Temple of deified Julius
 186
21            Inscribed column
 196
22            Greater Armenia: royal succession
 230
23            Media Atropatene: royal succession (incorporating Greater Armenia from ad 3/4)
233
24            Laureate head of Augustus accompanied by the legend ‘of god Caesar benefactor’; diademed head of Artavasdes, with the legend ‘of great king Artavasdes’
234
25            Long-haired bearded barbarian on his knees, holding out a military standard
 242
26            Cuirass of Prima Porta statue of Augustus
 244
27            Standards recovered from the Parthians
 245
28            Temple of Mars the Avenger
 245
29            Parthia: Arsacid royal succession
 252
30            Restoration of constitutional government
 259
31            Civic crown and laurels
 262
32            Altar of Rome and Augustus
 263
33            Honours at Augustus’ house
 266
34            Copy of the clupeus virtutis from Arles
267
35            ‘Belvedere’ altar
 268
36            Altar of the gens Augusta, Carthage
269
37            Shield of virtues
 270
38            Augustus as parens and conservator
 274

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS FOR ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1: by kind permission of Prof. H. von Hesberg; Figs. 2, 4–5: photos by Prof. S. Mitchell; Figs. 8, 14, 17, 34: photos by A. E. Cooley, reproduced by kind permission of Prof. E. La Rocca, Sovraintendenza ai Beni Culturali del Comune di Roma, and Dr C. Sintès, Musée Archéologique d’Arles; Figs. 9, 13, 15, 19, 20, 27, 28, 30, 32, 33, 37: by kind permission of Richard Abdy, British Museum, London; Figs. 10, 11, 21, 25: reproduced by kind permission of the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge; Figs. 18, 24, 31, 38: © The Trustees of the British Museum; Figs. 12, 26, 35, 36: photographs courtesy of the Syndics of the Cambridge University Library.



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