Evaluate which was more effective in conveying Augustus’ public image to the citizens of Rome, literature or visual/material culture. [30]

Introduction: Address the question, defining terms in the title and outline where your essay will lead. In this question you could establish how you will evaluate a source as ‘effective’ throughout the essay This might be through examining the distribution of the different sources and the audience (i.e. the difference echelons of Roman society) that they would reach. Before exploring the sources, you will also need to establish the different aspects of Augustus’ public image e.g. son of Julius Caesar, restorer of Republic traditions (not a dictator/king), victorious general, and religious leader.Essay: Have a range of sources that cover both literature and visual/material culture. As this essay is quite broad try define the sources by category, giving a specific example for each category and then evaluating how effective this type of source would be in portraying Augustus’ image to an audience. Coins: Example – ‘Iura et Leges’ coin minted c. 28 B.C. Shows head of Aug. on obverse and Aug. sitting in a chair administering laws on the reverse. Imprint ‘He restored to the republic its laws and rights’. Portrays Aug. as restoring the republic. Coins would have reached a wide as they were passed through all levels of society and handled by everyone. Requires only a very basic level of literacy to understand the message.   Res Gestae: Literature source. Account of Augustus’ own life and his achievements, it was inscribed outside of the outside the Mausoleum of Aug. amongst other locations across the Empire. Throughout the text outlines all the various aspects of Aug.’s public image (religious, father of Rome, generous, restorer of the Republic). Requires being able to read – not as effective as reaching lower classes of society that were illiterate. Buildings: Forum of Aug. – Mentioned in Res Gestae. Built by Aug. himself – image of Aug. as head of state (same as last chapter of Res Gestae) with ‘Pater Patriae’ inscribed underneath central statue of Aug. on a horse. Statues of ancestors on one side and of Roman heroes on the other. Links Aug. to glory of Roman past and as a victorious general (statues of successful Roman generals). Also links him to Caesar (Temple of Mars Ultor). Forum would have been used by many (Suetonius tells us this) and again as it is visual imagery, therefore no need for literacy. Poetry: Team of ‘sponsored’ poets working under Maecenas – Example of Horace Epodes 9 Battle of Actium. Portrays Aug. as heroic general, better than previous Roman generals. War depicted as against Egypt and Cleopatra (Antony not mentioned). Aug. hiding the fact he is power because of civil wars. Poetry is circulated far and wide (unlike Forum of Aug.) so may reach a wider audience but requires being able to read. As works of literature they would be studied by future generations.  Conclusion: You can reach your own conclusion as long as you have the sufficient evidence to back it up. Essential to refer back to the essay title when writing the conclusion.