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Prima Porta || Arc of Peace
Augustus: Images of Power
Since most people of antiquity could not read, imperial art was often used for propaganda. Augustus was one of the Emperors that maximized this power.
Prima Porta
Romans
unlike the Greeks valued the verism (realism) over idealism. Augustus
however, changed this norm. Even though Augustus lived to be an old
man of seventy-seven, in his statues he remained forever a handsome youth.
His statues echoed that of Greek athletes of the Classical period. His statue, Augustus of Prima Porta, is a prime example of this.
Although Augustus himself was often ill and sickly, he likes to depict
himself as a soldier; perhaps modeling himself after Alexander the Great.
The cuirass (the body armor) he wears depicts the Parthians handing over
the standards that were lost by Crassius. Although Augustus actually
regained them through diplomatic means, by showing this on a cuirass, he
is indicating his military skills. The figure of the small child
is that of Cupid. Julius Caesar traced his descent from Aeneas, son
of Venus, Cupid's mother. The presence of Cupid stresses the divinity
of Julius Caesar, and in turn his adopted son, Augustus. Augustus
was not enough of a megalomaniac to call himself a god, but he did present
himself as the son of a god (the newly deified Julius Caesar). Also
notice that Augustus has bare feet, symbol of holy ground, further suggesting
his holy nature.
Arc of Peace
The
Arc of Peace is another symbol of power by Augustus. It celebrates
Augustus's most important contribution . . . bringing peace to Rome.
Historians of modern day and of antiquity often say that Augustus bribed
the people with peace . . . The frieze around the Arc of Peace shows
influences from Greek Partheon's Athenian Procession. Augustus wanted
his own reign to be a parallel of the golden age of Pericles in Athens.
The difference between this and the Athenian Procession is that the characters
present all are identifiable. The boys present have often been identified
as his grandsons. Also present is Augustus's general Agrippa who
is probably already dead at this time.