Imperator Caesar Augustus Divi Filius

Last updated on: January 20, 2016 at 6:40 pm by Joel Willitts

Imperator Caesar Augustus Divi Filius 2016-01-20T18:40:58-04:00 Joel Willitts

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Over the Christmas and New Year’s break I began reading for pleasure, and to expand my knowledge, the recent biography on Augustus by Adrian Goldsworthy: Augustus: First Emperor of Rome. It is well written; and while Ancient historians will be in a much better position to judge Goldsworthy’s scholarship, the work open up a fresh understand of such a powerful figure. Along with Augustus there is the cast of characters surrounding his story: Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Cleopatra, Cicero, Pompey, Agrippa, Brutus, Cassius, Drusus, Julia, Livia, Virgil and many more. Herod is also discuss a good bit the book to my great pleasure.

Among the many things that have stuck out to me perhaps one of the most significant was the manner Augustus exercised his leadership. He had a personal relational connection to the soldiers he commanded and the provinces over which he ruled. He traveled often for long periods of time visiting his provinces in the East and West to maintain the personal relationship. Also, I was surprised to learn how much family meant to him.

Today as I was reading, one particular passage stood out and caused me to reflect. Goldsworthy is discussing Imperator Caesar Augustus’ “relentless pursuit of supremacy” although always careful to preserve the “illusion” that he was protecting and sustaining a res publica. Goldsworthy’s reading of the man is fascinating:

This does not mean that his use of power was no more than a means to maintain it, since he worked very hard to use it well. There is every reason to belief that the princeps felt he deserved to win the civil wars, to gain supremacy and to hold onto it because it served the wider good – obviously as he perceived it. Thus he could really see himself as merely the first magistrate of the state, a servant rather than a ruler. Self-restraint, and the desire to live up to his own ideal, make far more sense as curbs on his behavior than the opinions of the senatorial elite (352).

Today I also read this proverb from the lips of Augustus’ life long friend and closest ally Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa:

If peace makes small things grow, discord will tear down great things (353)

The book is putting the Roman world of the NT into greater clarity.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

January 20, 2016

The Gospel of Mark and Chalcedon

Next Post

January 21, 2016 Book Review: Peter False Disciple and Apostate according to Saint Matthew

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Bible Lands Blogosphere Book Review Calvinism Colleges & Universities Ecclesiology Emerging Adulthood Evangelicalism Foreign Affairs Gospel of John Greco-Roman World Humor Just War N. T. Wright Old Testament Resurrection Terrorism Theological Education Travel Uncategorized Writing

Select a Month September 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 January 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In what city was Jesus born?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Nazareth Bethlehem Jericho Jerusalem

Books by This Author Books by Mike Bird

See All Titles »