Imperial Worship System of the Early Caesars

This research paper discusses the origins, evolution and underlying reasons for the system of imperial worship which developed under the early Roman Caesars, Julius Caesar (b. B.C. 100, d. B.C. 44), Augustus Caesar (b. B.C. 63, d. A.D. 14) and Tiberius (b. B.C. 42, d. A.D. 37). Belief in the divinity of a Roman ruler first seriously developed during Julius Caesar's brief reign as dictator, primarily as an accoutrement of his rapidly accumulating and increasingly unrestricted power. The beginnings of a cult of emperor worship were cut short by his assassination, but its foundations were broadened by his deification during the succession struggle which followed. After he prevailed over his rivals for power, Octavian (later named Augustus) cleverly channelled the impulse toward emperor worship in politically acceptable directions which helped forge unity in the heterogenous Roman Empire and strengthen his regime. He, too, was deified after his death which helped establish the principle of imperial succession even though Tiberius himself opposed all attempts to attribute divine attributes to his personage during his lifetime. In this way the belief in and practice of emperor worship came to serve as pillars of imperial rule.

Prior to the conquests of Julius Caesar and his rise to power as one of Rome's three consuls after B.C. 59 and its undisputed leader after his defeat of his great rival Pompey at the batt

. . .
in his last testament, was only 19 when Caesar was killed. Not long thereafter, he contributed to the legend of Caesar's divinity by organizing the Ludi Victoriae Caesaris, games in honor of Venus to celebrate Caesar's victories, which lasted ten days. During that period, a comet reportedly appeared every evening which the populace soon labelled the 'star of Julius," and which Suetonius Tranquillus said represented the belief was a "blazing star" which "was to be the soul of Caesar received up into heaven." Octavian put a star on the statues of Julius Caesar and used the symbol on coins. Thus began the legend of Octavian as Divi Filius, the Son of God. After his death, a shrine to the dead ruler's memory was erected on the site of his cremation in Rome. According to Adkins et al, "a cult of the assassinated Caesar grew up at the site of his cremation." Just before Caesar's death, Mark Antony was appointed chief priest or flamen in charge of the various temples or shrines dedicated to Caesar's memory. According to Ogilvie, Mark Antony attempted to wrap himself in the divinity of Julius Caesar, posing as Dionysius in Athens and as a royal consort of the divine Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. Such stratagems availed him little since
. . .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Julius Caesar, Gaul Syria, Julius Caesar's, According Augustus, Ogilvie Caesar, Latin Greek, Buchan Augustus, Starr Augustus, Ubis Cologne, Patriae Father, emperor worship, julius caesar, mark antony, roman tradition, suetonius tranquillus, ad 14, cult emperor worship, cult emperor, et al, julius caesar god, bc 48, site cremation, oxford university press, adkins et al, practice emperor worship,
Approximate Word count = 2843
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page)