Unit:
Department of History and ArchaeologyLibrary of the School of Philosophy
Author:
Μitropoulos Georgios
Dissertation committee:
Επιβλέπων: Κωνσταντίνος Μπουραζέλης, Ομότιμος καθηγητής Αρχαίας Ιστορίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Μέλος: Ελένη Ψωμά, Καθηγήτρια Αρχαίας Ιστορίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Μέλος: Σοφία Ανεζίρη, Αναπληρώτρια καθηγήτρια Αρχαίας Ιστορίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Μέλος: Νίκος Γιαννακόπουλος, Αναπληρωτής καθηγητής Αρχαίας Ιστορίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Μέλος: Σοφία Ζουμπάκη, Κύρια ερευνήτρια, Ινστιτούτο Ιστορικών Ερευνών, Εθνικό Ίδρυμα Ερευνών
Μέλος: Στυλιανός Κατάκης, Επίκουρος καθηγητής ρωμαϊκής αρχαιολογίας, Τμήμα Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, Εθνικό και Καποδιστριακό Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών
Μέλος: Francesco Camia, Αναπληρωτής καθηγητής ελληνικής επιγραφικής, Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia, La Sapienza Università di Roma
Original Title:
Το πρότυπο του ηγεμόνα και η imitatio imperatoris: Διαλεκτικές επιρροής μεταξύ αυτοκρατόρων και υπηκόων στην ελληνορωμαϊκή Ανατολή (31 π.Χ. – 235 μ.Χ.)
Translated title:
The model of the Roman emperor and the imitatio imperatoris: Dialectics of influence between the princeps and the provincials in the Greco-Roman East (31 B.C. – A.D. 235)
Summary:
This PhD thesis examines the imitation of the Roman emperor (imitatio imperatoris) by the provincials and, secondarily, the Roman officials in the Greco-Roman East. It focuses especially on the geographical areas spanned by ancient Greece and Asia Minor from the reign of Augustus until that of Severus Alexander (31 B.C. – A.D. 235). The purpose of this study is twofold: First, it will show that the imitation of the Roman emperor can be attested as a common phenomenon in the Greco-Roman East. Furthermore, it will explore the different ways in which the provincials approached the act of ‘‘modeling’’ the emperor.
Strangely, perhaps, a comprehensive analysis of the imitation of the Roman emperor has never been carried out, though the emperor as a person and office constantly draws the attention of scholars of the Roman imperial period. We lack any theoretical framework for the study of this phenomenon and, indeed, even a definition of the imitatio imperatoris is lacking. Most scholars briefly note that one’s public action or personal behavior can be reminiscent of, or emulate, that of the emperor. The latter’s unequivocal role as an example is also taken for granted without further analysis as a basis for interpreting his impact in the provinces. Furthermore, the researchers usually do not clarify what they regard as ‘imitation’ in the case on hand.
The research questions, methodology and the principal evidence (inscriptions, literary testimonies, archaeological material, provincial coinage) for this study are analyzed extensively in the introduction.
Two important questions are analyzed in the first chapter: Why did the emperor seek to be imitated and why did one imitate him?
Afterwards, I proceed with the examination of the ‘limits’ of imitation in the second chapter. It is illustrated that there were certain practices, which were regarded strictly as an imperial monopoly by the emperor. In these cases, the princeps discouraged the emulation of his example (aemulatio imperatoris).
The imitation of the Roman emperor in the public life is analyzed collectively in the next three chapters, each one devoted to a specific group of imitators: The cities, the client kings and the leading provincials (chapters 3, 4 and 5 respectively). The principal evidence attests that both public institutions of the eastern cities, as well as prominent subjects followed the model of the emperor in many aspects of the public sphere.
In the sixth chapter emphasis is given to the imitation of the emperor in the private sphere and, more specifically, I examine how the eastern provincials followed the imperial exemplum in their behaviour (the theme of ‘morality’), representation (onomastics and the private portraits), and even lifestyle.
Afterwards, I analyze cases, in which some provincials not only imitated the emperor, but also completely adopted the imperial identity and identified themselves with members of the imperial family, at times even the emperor himself (chapter 7).
The phenomenon of imitatio imperatoris is examined collectively in the last chapter of this study (chapter 8). General observations are drawn regarding our evidence and the deeper meaning of the imitation of the Roman emperor for the social actors who approached his model.
Main subject category:
History
Keywords:
Roman emperor, Graeco-Roman East, Imperial ideology
Number of references:
1250
File:
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Mitropoulos Giorgos PhD.pdf
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File access is restricted until 2025-12-10.
