Emperor Worship and Roman Religion
While Roman religion worshipped a number of gods, one kind in particular aroused the fury of early Christians and the wonder of scholars: the cult of Roman emperors alive or dead. Was the divinity of emperors a glue that held the Empire together? Were rulers such as Julius Caesar and Caligula simply mad to expect such worship of themselves? Or was it rather a phenomenon which has only been rendered incomprehensible by modern and monotheistic ideas of what religion is—or should be—all about?\...
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In this revision of the author's dissertation (in archaeology at Aarhus U., Denmark), the Roman practice of emperor worship is described in detail through a painstaking reading of ancient sources and analysis of the archaeological record. Analysis of both the scholarship on emperor worship and the impact of Christian views is discussed throughout. Gradel teaches history at the U. of Copenhagen. Annotation c. Book News, Inc.,Portland, OR
1Introduction12Before the Caesars273Caesar's divine honours544Beyond Rome : 'by municipal deification'735The Augustan settlement1096The Augustan heritage and mad emperors1407The emperor's Genius in state cult1628'In every house'? : the emperor in the Roman household1989Corporate worship21310Numen Augustum23411A parallel : C. Manlius, Caeretan 'Caesar'25112'Heavenly honours decreed by the Senate' : from emperor to Divus261App. 1Dedications from Italy to the Genius of living non-imperials372App. 2Dedications from Italy to the Genius Augusti up to A.D. 235374App. 3Titles of municipal priests of emperors in Italy from inscriptional sources376
