Iconography Augustus of Prima Porta

1 iconography

1.1 portrait
1.2 breastplate relief
1.3 divine status

iconography

detail of breastplate


portrait

the haircut made of divided, thick strands of hair, strand directly on middle of augustus s forehead framed other strands on it. left 2 strands stray onto forehead, , right 3 strands, hairstyle first found on statue. hairstyle marks statue out augustus comparison portrait on coinage, can give date it. particular hairstyle used first sign identifying portrait type of augustus prima porta type, second , popular of 3 official portrait types: other hairstyles of augustus may seen on ara pacis, example. full-size statue of augustus these primaporta type features augustus of via labicana, portraying augustus in role of pontifex maximus, in museo nazionale romano.

the face idealized, of polykleitos statues. art underwent important changes during augustus s reign, extreme realism dominated republican era giving way greek influence, seen in portraits of emperors - idealizations summarizing virtues should possessed exceptional man worthy of governing empire. in earlier portraits, augustus allowed himself portrayed in monarchical fashion, amended these later more diplomatic images represented him primus inter pares . head , neck produced separately in parian marble , inserted torso.

breastplate relief

the statue s iconography compared of carmen saeculare horace, , commemorates augustus s establishment of pax romana. breastplate carved in relief numerous small figures depicting return, diplomacy of augustus, of roman legionary eagles or aquilae lost parthia mark antony in 40s bc , crassus in 53 bc.

the figure in centre, according common interpretation, subjected parthian king returning crassus s standard armored roman (possibly tiberius, or symbolically mars ultor). popular subject in augustan propaganda, 1 of greatest international successes, , had emphasized, since augustus had been deterred parthian military strength war roman people had expected , had instead opted diplomacy. left , right sit mourning female figures. figure 1 side sheathed sword personifies peoples in east (and teutons?) forced pay tribute rome, , 1 on other side unsheathed sword personifies subjected peoples (the celts). top, clockwise, see:

caelus, sky god, spreading tent of sky
aurora , luna
the personification of subjected peoples
the goddess diana
the earth goddess ceres/tellus - represented on ara pacis
apollo, augustus s patron
the personification of tributary peoples
the sun god sol
a sphinx on each shoulder, representing defeat of cleopatra augustus

none of these interpretations undisputed. gods, however, symbolize continuity , logical consistency of events - sun , moon forever rise, roman successes , divinely sanctioned. furthermore, these successes connected wearer of breastplate, augustus. active person parthian king, implying else divinely desired , ordained.

divine status

during lifetime, augustus did not wish depicted god (unlike later emperors embraced divinity), statue has many thinly-veiled references emperor s divine nature , genius. augustus shown barefoot, indicates hero , perhaps god, , adds civilian aspect otherwise military portrait. being barefoot allowed on images of gods, may imply statue posthumous copy set livia of statue city of rome in augustus not barefoot.

the small cupid (son of venus) @ feet (riding on dolphin, venus s patron animal) reference claim julian family descended goddess venus, made both augustus , great uncle julius caesar - way of claiming divine lineage without claiming full divine status.