The Shadow of the comet : divine patronage in the rise of Augustus by Dora Y. Gao.
Name
746801744-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
7.57 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
2b667d6bda3de05b24f589f561f7a543
Author(s)
Gao, Dora Y
Advisor(s)
William Broadhead.
Alternative Title
Divine patronage in the rise of Augustus
Date Issued
2011
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This thesis explores the appearance alleged by ancient sources of a comet over Rome in 44 B.C. and its role in the use and abuse of divine patronage in the rise of the young Octavian between 44 and 27 B.C. The comet was concluded to have actually occurred through an analysis involving Poisson statistics, basic calculations of orbital dynamics, and historical context. The physical manifestation of this comet over Rome granted Octavian the opportunity to begin asserting himself as a legitimate political competitor in the wake of Julius Caesar's death and his adoption in Caesar's will. With the comet as a symbol of his father's deification, Octavian's new status as divi filius portrayed him as a pious young man dedicated to the traditions of the Roman Republic and won him the early support of the people, the legions, and the Senate. This image persisted through the 30s and became far preferable to that of the drunk and eastern Marc Antony when Octavian began to associate himself with the very Roman and republican figure of Apollo. Together, Julius Caesar and Apollo became two key divine patrons behind Octavian, with the generous Julius Caesar representing the more public aspects of Octavian's plan for Rome, and Apollo portraying the more personal side of Octavian's character and his dedication to the harmony of the Republic.
Description
Thesis (S.B. in Ancient and Medieval Studies)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, 2011.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-82).
Subjects
Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. History Section.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. History Section
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Humanities
Terms of Use
M.I.T. theses are protected by
copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but
reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written
permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
Persistent DSpace Link
