Cicero‘s value as a military commentator has traditionally been obscured by his reputation as an unmilitary figure. This focus ignores the considerable quantity – and quality – of references to military matters in his writings, as well as the engagement demanded by his public profile as a senior senator and advocate during the war-torn final decades of the Republic. As a participant-witness writing as events unfolded, he provides unrivalled insight into developing contemporary issues from an equally unrivalled civilian/domestic perspective. Far from precluding meaningful discussion, this perspective draws attention to the wider consequences of the activities of the army, from their symbolic representation of Rome‘s might to their impact on domestic stability and role in imperial expansion. This thesis explores Cicero‘s contribution to the militarized culture of the late Republic, bringing together his military-themed comments in the first major study of its kind. Chapter 1 sets the scene with an examination of his military service, demonstrating that it met the standards of the day and identifying characteristics of his outlook that can be linked directly to his experience. Chapter 2 investigates his engagement with Rome‘s military heritage by way of his use of military exempla, specifically the priorities indicated by his choice and description of these figures. Chapter 3 presents a similar assessment of his relationships with contemporary military figures, noting the effect of their political influence on the interest he took in their military responsibilities. Chapters 4 and 5 assess his theory concerning military matters in the domestic and foreign spheres, respectively. Both highlight the focus on ethics which sets Cicero‘s theory apart from that of his contemporaries. Finally,chapter 6 addresses the tension between civic and military values in the previous chapters, contextualizing his pro-civic bias as a reaction to military despotism rather than anti-militarism for its own sake. The analysis of these themes confirms Cicero‘s awareness of military matters as well as his contemporary authority as a commentator. It moreover highlights the historical value of his remarks as the rhetorical product of a civilian context and an alternative discourse about the relationship between the army and the state. Although his views are broadly comparable to those of contemporary authors, his coverage of associated domestic concerns is not. The end result is an account of military matters which complements conventional military histories and manuals of military science, and deserves to be taken seriously as military commentary.

Auctoritas was the foundation of Augustus' legitimacy, success, and survival in Roman politics. The necessary precondition of successfully founding political legitimacy upon auctoritas, however, was that Augustus' auctoritas had to be supreme. This thesis will show that one of the most important ways Augustus achieved supreme auctoritas was by integrating himself into traditional beliefs about the stars and by harnessing the associations with the divine and supernatural that were latent in these beliefs. Augustus reinforced his association with these beliefs by employing a number of powerful symbols drawn from among the stars. Chapters Two and Three will focus upon one of these symbols, the sidus Iulium (the comet of Caesar). Chapter Two will demonstrate how Augustus harnessed the general acceptance of Caesar's astral apotheosis (catasterism) and of catasterism in general in the Roman world at that time and then used the sidus Iulium as a symbol of his connection with Divus Iulius and of his own semi-divine status. Chapter Three will explore how Augustus promoted the sidus Iulium as the harbinger of a golden age for the Roman people and as an omen of the fact that it was his destiny to lead them into it. Chapter Four will turn to another astral symbol, the constellation Capricorn. This chapter will examine how Augustus integrated himself into the greatly popular discipline of astrology and used its language of fate to promote himself as a man of great destiny. Throughout we will consider a variety of evidence, particularly numismatic and literary. This will help us to achieve the fullest possible picture of the lengths to which Augustus went to create a useful ally of the stars in his never-ending quest for auctoritas. / Thesis (Master, Classics) -- Queen's University, 2009-09-14 18:14:44.877

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Durant l’Antiquité, Valence bénéficie du prestigieux statut de colonie romaine, au même titre qu’Arles, Vienne et Lyon. Sa position au confluent du Rhône et de l’Isère et au carrefour de plusieurs itinéraires terrestres - Voie d’Agrippa, Voie des Alpes - lui conférait un rôle stratégique et économique considérable. Cette région, au cœur de la moyenne vallée du Rhône, occupe une position charnière qui lui assure, au moins depuis le Premier Âge du fer, un rôle d’intermédiaire entre le bassin méditerranéen et le monde celtique.Elle bascule dans l’orbite de Rome en même temps que la Gaule méridionale, soit dès la fin du IIe s. av. J.-C. Valence est fondée dans un deuxième temps, vraisemblablement entre 46 – 36 av. J.-C. et acquiert son statut de colonie de droit romain peut-être dès cette date avancée selon P. Faure et N. Tran (2013). La fondation d’une colonie romaine s’accompagne d’une division du sol public, matérialisée par une centuriation afin qu’il soit distribué aux membres du corps civique nouvellement créé comprenant plusieurs milliers de colons. Dans ce contexte historique précis, ces citoyens sont principalement des vétérans de l’armée romaine alors constituée majoritairement d’Italiens. Ce phénomène a donc un impact démographique et culturel considérable pour la vie des populations locales. Le statut juridique avantageux conféré à ces communautés leur assure également des avantages économiques importants stimulant les productions agro-pastorales et artisanales. Les travaux consacrés aux provinces gauloises ont montré que les siècles suivants ne sont pas exempts de mutations économiques et culturelles importantes qui touchent les structures de peuplement et de production. Partant de ce constat, j’ai choisi d’aborder cet impact culturel et économique à travers la culture matérielle (vestiges architecturaux, objets de la vie quotidienne) et l’analyse de l’occupation du sol. Le cadre chronologique et spatial retenu doit permettre d’observer de manière dynamique l’évolution des modes de vie et des activités agro-pastorales et artisanales dans les campagnes de la cité de Valence. L’examen des caractéristiques de plusieurs centaines d’établissements ruraux doit permettre de proposer une lecture diachronique et complexe de l’occupation et l’exploitation de ce territoire, d’aborder les rapports qu’entretient la colonie avec l’espace rural. L’approche chronologique et fonctionnelle des bâtiments et des objets de la vie quotidienne permet d’apprécier plus finement l’évolution dans le temps des techniques, des modes de vie, mais aussi de relever la diversité des situations locales à une même période. / During the Antiquity, Valence is known as a roman colony like Lyon, Arles or Vienna, settled in the middle Rhône valley at the confluent of the Rhône and the Isère, and also at the crossroads of alpine route and the Via Agrippa. This strategic position confers to the colony an important role in the economy of the roman Gaul. Since the early Iron Age, this area is a link between the mediterranean and the celtic worlds.Even if the region is conquered by Rome since the end of the II c. B.-C., the colony is founded later, perhaps between 46 and 36 B.-C. and maybe already own his prestigious status of colonia of roman rights according to P. Faure and N. Tran hypothesis (2013). As a consequence of the foundation, the public soil is divided, centuriated, and distributed to thousands of new citizens.In this specific historical context, the citizens are chosen among the veterans of the roman army, who were Italians at this time. This decision should have huge demographic and cultural consequences on local communities. The legal status of the citizens gives them considerable economics advantages that stimulate the local economy. The studies devoted to the gallic provinces have shown that the following centuries see numerous changes affecting settlements and economic structures.Considering this historical context, I have chosen to evaluate the cultural and economic impact of this foundation by studying settlement patterns and material culture (architectural remains, objects of the daily life) between the II c. B.-C. to the VIth c. B.-C.The study of few hundreds of settlements allows us to introduce a complex and diachronic view of the settlements, their economic roles and relations with the colony.The chronological and functional study of the buildings and daily life objects allow us to assess finely the evolution through time about craftsmen’s techniques, lifestyle and highlight regional differences during a same period.