Manipulation of Image
Maecenas (70 BC - 8 BC)
Poet parton and writer - patron to Horace and Virgil.
Own works have not survived - only titles and fragments.
Born as a wealthy equite and a descendant of the Etruscan kings.
An advisor and friend of Augustus.
Fought alongside Agrippa in civil wars.
Often spent time in Rome, serving as a magistrate.
Eventually fell out of favour with Augustus for disputed reasons but when Maecenas died, he left his legacy to him.
Own works have not survived - only titles and fragments.
Born as a wealthy equite and a descendant of the Etruscan kings.
An advisor and friend of Augustus.
Fought alongside Agrippa in civil wars.
Often spent time in Rome, serving as a magistrate.
Eventually fell out of favour with Augustus for disputed reasons but when Maecenas died, he left his legacy to him.
Horace (65 BC - 8 BC)
Major poet of the Augustan era.
Born in southern Italy as the son of a freedman.
Horace had fought for the Republic in the civil war so his family's property was confiscated.
Augustus granted amnesty in 39 BC so Horace became a secretary in the Roman treasury.
In 38 BC, Horace met and became client of Maecenas, who provided Horace with a villa on the Sabine Hill.
Augustus requested that Horace write a poem for the Secular Games in 17 BC.
Horace's Odes (23 BC - 13 BC) are accredited with the original usage of the terms: 'carpe diem' - 'sieze the day', 'nunc est bibendum' - 'now is the time to drink', 'dulce et decorum est pro patria mori' - 'it is sweet and right to die for one's country'.
On his death, he left his estate to Augustus and was buried near the tomb of Maecenas.
Born in southern Italy as the son of a freedman.
Horace had fought for the Republic in the civil war so his family's property was confiscated.
Augustus granted amnesty in 39 BC so Horace became a secretary in the Roman treasury.
In 38 BC, Horace met and became client of Maecenas, who provided Horace with a villa on the Sabine Hill.
Augustus requested that Horace write a poem for the Secular Games in 17 BC.
Horace's Odes (23 BC - 13 BC) are accredited with the original usage of the terms: 'carpe diem' - 'sieze the day', 'nunc est bibendum' - 'now is the time to drink', 'dulce et decorum est pro patria mori' - 'it is sweet and right to die for one's country'.
On his death, he left his estate to Augustus and was buried near the tomb of Maecenas.
Virgil (70 BC - 19 BC)
Virgil is considered one of the greatest ancient Roman poets.
He is believed to have been born in Cisalpine Gaul and was educated in Rome.
Maecenas's support enabled Virgil to dedicate himself to full-time study and writing, so, in 29 BC, he dedicated his poem 'Georgics' on farming to him.
Wrote the 'Aeneid'.
Died of a fever in 19 BC. On his deathbed, he ordered the unfinished 'Aeneid' to be destroyed, however, Augustus ordewred it to be published.
He is believed to have been born in Cisalpine Gaul and was educated in Rome.
Maecenas's support enabled Virgil to dedicate himself to full-time study and writing, so, in 29 BC, he dedicated his poem 'Georgics' on farming to him.
Wrote the 'Aeneid'.
Died of a fever in 19 BC. On his deathbed, he ordered the unfinished 'Aeneid' to be destroyed, however, Augustus ordewred it to be published.
The Aeneid
This was an epic poem of 12 books which looked back at Homer's 'Odyssey' and 'Iliad' of the eighth-century BC. It describes the journey of Aeneas, a Trojan hero, to Italy and the wars thathe fought once he had arrived there. However, the book alludes to the whole course of Roman history, rather than just Rome's earliest history, which will culminate in the reign of Augustus.
The 'Aeneid' aligns Augustus with the gods. Aeneas was the son of Prince Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite and was rescued by the gods when he fell under the assault of Achilles. One of the few Trojans who survived, he was commanded by the gods to flee the city and go to Italy. Aeneas' descendants include Romulus & Remus and Julius, the ancestor of Caesar.
The 'Aeneid' aligns Augustus with the gods. Aeneas was the son of Prince Anchises and the goddess Aphrodite and was rescued by the gods when he fell under the assault of Achilles. One of the few Trojans who survived, he was commanded by the gods to flee the city and go to Italy. Aeneas' descendants include Romulus & Remus and Julius, the ancestor of Caesar.
“The valiant son will plan revenge on those who killed his father and will have our aid in all his battles. The defeated walls of scarred Mutina, which he will besiege, shall sue for peace. Pharsalia's plain will dread his power and Macedonian Philippi be drenched with blood a second time, the name of one acclaimed as `Great’ shall be subdued in the Sicilian waves. Then Egypt's queen, wife of the Roman general, Antony, shall fall, while vainly trusting in his word, while vainly threatening that our Capitol must be submissive to Canopus' power. “Why should I mention all the barbarous lands and nations east and west by ocean's rim? Whatever habitable earth contains shall bow to him, the sea shall serve his will!"
Ovid - Metamporphoses, Book XV
Coinage
Article below is 'Roman Coins and Roman History', written by Daniel J.Taylor.
roman_coins_and_roman_history.docx | |
File Size: | 46 kb |
File Type: | docx |