Transcript 2000 years of Augustus - Talks by Experts on Classics

Penelope J. Goodman, University of Leeds
www.weavingsandunpickings.wordpress.com
2000 years of Augustus: the view from Leeds
Augustus
The ‘Prima Porta’ statue
Leeds
Drawing of a personification on the Town Hall
Students at work, conducting the survey
Clip-boards full of answer-sheets
Question 1
We would like to find out which Roman
emperors people are most familiar with.
If I ask you to name a Roman emperor,
what is the first name that comes to mind?
Tiberius
Commodus
Constantine
Hadrian
Marcus Aurelius
Claudius
Octavian / Augustus
Gaius Caligula
Nero
Julius Caesar
0
20
40
60
80
Results for question 1 – name a Roman emperor
100
120
Julius Caesar
Augustus
Henry
Zeus
Judas
Pontius Pilate
Tiberius
Commodus
Napoleon
Alexander
Constantine
Hercules
Hadrian
Marcus Aurelius
Claudius
Octavian / Augustus
Gaius Caligula
Nero
Don't know
Julius Caesar
0
20
40
60
80
Results for question 1 – name a Roman emperor
100
120
Tiberius
Commodus
Constantine
Hadrian
Marcus Aurelius
Claudius
Octavian / Augustus
Gaius Caligula
Nero
Julius Caesar
0
20
40
60
80
Results for question 1 – name a Roman emperor
100
120
Appearances on the Internet Movie Database
Tiberius
Commodus
Constantine
Hadrian
Marcus Aurelius
Claudius
Octavian / Augustus
Gaius Caligula
Nero
Julius Caesar
0
20
40
60
80
100
Survey results for Q1
120
IMDb appearances
Ciarán Hinds in HBO’s Rome
Rex Harrison in
Cleopatra (1963)
Caesar’s sticky end:
the assassination on
the Ides of March
HBO’s Rome
Cleopatra (1963)
Portrayals of the young Augustus
(at that time still called Octavian)
on his rise to power
Simon Woods in HBO’s Rome
Roddy McDowall in
Cleopatra (1963)
Siân Phillips and Brian Blessed in I Claudius (1976)
CLAUDIUS (in voice-over): If Augustus ruled the world, Livia ruled Augustus
Appearances by the same emperors on the Internet Movie Database
Tiberius
Commodus
Constantine
Hadrian
Marcus Aurelius
Claudius
Octavian / Augustus
Gaius Caligula
Nero
Julius Caesar
0
20
40
60
80
100
Survey results for Q1
120
IMDb appearances
The clipeus virtutis (shield of virtues)
Augustus, Res Gestae 34:
‘A Golden Shield was set up
in the senate house, which,
as the inscription on this
Shield testifies, was given to
me by the Senate and
People of Rome in
recognition of my virtue,
clemency, justice, and piety.’
A surviving marble copy of the shield
from Arles (southern Gaul)
Q5 – select five words which you most associate with Augustus
Forgiving
Cruel
Just
Unjust
Pious
Cowardly
Brave
Weak
Strong
Immoral
Responsible
Reckless
Modest
Foolish
Wise
Stingy
Generous
Arrogant
Aloof
Approachable
Clever
Manipulative
Ambitious
Militaristic
Selfish
Dishonest
Honest
Enigmatic
Philosophical
Inspiring
Caring
Ruthless
Principled
Tyrannical
Mad
Extravagant
Economical
Depraved
Restrained
Serious
50
Question 5 - characteristics
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Portrayals of the young Augustus
(at that time still called Octavian)
on his rise to power
Simon Woods in HBO’s Rome
Roddy McDowall in
Cleopatra (1963)
50
Question 5 - characteristics
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Q5 – overall impression
Ambiguous
14%
Positive
41%
Negative
45%
Augustus the contradiction
Seneca the Younger (AD 56), On Clemency 1.11.1 – ‘So his conduct was
restrained and merciful? Of course it was! But only after the seas of Actium
had been stained with Roman blood.’
The Emperor Julian (AD 361), The Caesars 309a – ‘Octavianus [i.e.
Augustus] entered, changing colour continually, like a chameleon, turning
now pale, now red. One moment his expression was gloomy, sombre, and
overcast, the next he unbent and showed all the charms of Aphrodite and
the Graces’
Karl Galinsky (1996), Augustan Culture, p. 370 – ‘The age of Augustus
seems rife with contradictions. Octavian’s rise to power had been
accompanied by a bloodbath and a ruthlessness that appalled even
contemporaries… The rule of the princeps [emperor] was altogether
different. It was based on respect for law and precedent.’
Barbara Levick (2010), Image and Substance, p. 8 – ‘We are dealing not
so much with contradictory traditions as the tradition of a contradiction.’
Song
Social contact
Quizzes
Old stories
Internet
History
General knowledge
Email
University
Month of August
Archaeological sites
Films
Unsure
Books / reading
TV
School
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Results for question 4 – how / where did you hear of Octavian / Augustus?
Q6 - best thing he ever did
Long rule
5%
Month of August
15%
Defeated Antony
20%
First emperor
20%
Stability
20%
Good administration
20%
Q7 - worst thing he ever did
Varus
disaster
8%
Succession
8%
No faults
23%
Taxes
8%
Ruthless
15%
Unjust war
23%
Unjust exiles
15%
Q8 - overall impression
Indifferent
7%
Tyrannical
7%
Positive
36%
Strength
14%
Stability
14%
Relatively positive
22%