This thesis deals with the role of the concept of virtus in Roman historiography of the late Republic and early Empire. I shall argue throughout the study that analysing and tracing this concept in the works of the historians of this period take us to the very heart of the question of their appraisal both of political change and Roman identity. Understanding this moral appraisal does not mean just a better comprehension of their concept of virtus, but a new approach to their concept of history as magistra vitae. In the first chapter, I shall introduce some characteristics of the nature of historical writing and the approaches of ancient and modern historians. I shall be challenging some currents views on the complexity of evaluating ancient history by rhetorical and moral standards. In chapter II, I shall consider the concept of virtus in terms of its etymology and usage; I will then attempt to show the particular connection between virtus and Romanness. I will also develop and explain the concepts of virilis-virtus and humana-virtus and place them in their philosophical context. Chapters III, IV, V and VI will form part of what I have called 'Virtus in History', and in these chapters I shall deal with four historians. The first section is dedicated to Sallust and his analysis of political decline in relation to virtus. I shall attempt to assess Sallust's influential creation of moral language in the writing of history. Then, I will consider the connection of virtus as a means to preserve libertas in Livy's work, especially considering the author's time. Chapter V is concerned with Velleius' history and his view that the principate has re-established virtus in Rome. I shall concentrate on Tiberius for my analysis of virtus and challenge some traditional approaches to this author and his prince. Finally, in chapter VI, I will examine Tacitus' perception of the nature of the political change that Rome has undergone. I will show how the transformations in politics have a deep influence on the very idea of Romanness and how the disturbance of this concept leads to a more profound and internal interpretation of it.

In Rome, the activity of hunting was a pastime traditionally associated with the emperor and aristocracy. As such, hunting imagery in Roman art became symbolic of masculinity and power, expressions of which were important for the self-representation of status-conscious citizens. More specifically, virtus, often translated as “manliness” or “courage,” is the principal quality that is expressed through hunting scenes, although other ideas such as wealth and erudition were alluded to in these scenes as well. This thesis examines hunting scenes in the media of sarcophagi, mosaics, and silverware from the third to the sixth centuries AD. It focusses on the kinds of hunting imagery found on different media in order to discern the values that were important to patrons in the later Roman period, and the ways in which these values were expressed in the visual arts. In the funerary context, mythological hunting scenes on sarcophagi most often present the deceased as a man of virtus. However, owing to the Entmythologisierung of Roman sarcophagi during the third century, the ways in which virtus was expressed through these scenes underwent significant change during this period. On domestic floor mosaics, virtus was also a principal virtue that was expressed, but other ideas such as wealth and generosity were also displayed on hunting scenes in this medium, both mythological and non-mythological. Moreover, hunting scenes on silverware often highlight the wealth of the vessel’s owner. Additionally, allusions to a patron’s paideia, his formal educational background in Greek and Latin literature, as well as expressions of one’s Christian faith, also served as claims of membership in exclusive groups. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

El objeto de este trabajo ha sido estudiar el motivo de la apoteosis con el fin de descubrir de qué manera se integra positivamente en la representación de las <i>Metamorfosis</i>. Se intenta trascender interpretaciones denigratorias o irónicas del motivo. El estudio consta de dos partes. En el primer capítulo de la primera parte, "La apoteosis en la estructura de las <i>Metamorfosis</i>", se demuestra con un análisis intratextual la importancia que tiene el relato de la creación del hombre como sanctius animal, considerada paradigmática, en el estudio del motivo de la apoteosis. El segundo capítulo insiste en la dimensión intertextual, recordando la influencia estructural de dos modelos poéticos de las <i>Metamorfosis</i> de Ovidio, Hesíodo y la Égloga 6 de Virgilio, para una representación que comienza en la creación del hombre y termina en la apoteosis del poeta. La introducción a la segunda parte, "Valor semántico de la apoteosis", pone el acento en tres aspectos esenciales para el estudio de la apoteosis. En primer lugar, la idea de "lectura", i.e., la trascendencia latente del motivo de la apoteosis y de la idea de estirpe a lo largo de la obra. Se propone, en segundo lugar, el concepto de "mitologización" como una forma de examinar la apropiación que hace el poeta del mito historizado y del mito con alusión augustea. Esa apropiación tendrá como fin destacar el aspecto literatio de las historias y ejercerá un papel fundamental en la construcción de una figura de poeta que, mediante la apoteosis por su obra, se eleva por sobre las figuras de filósofo y de político. Su tratamiento en este trabajo, pues, se debe al hecho de que está ligado, en último término, con el motivo de la apoteosis. Dado que el estudio tiene como punto de partida la relación entre el sanctius animal, paradigma de la creación del hombre, y la apoteosis, se ha elegido examinar detalladamente aquellas apoteosis en que aparece una alusión explícita a la parte mortal o a la parte inmortal, i.e., las de Ino y Melicertes, Hércules, Eneas, Glauco, Rómulo, Hersilia, César, Augusto y Ovidio. Se incluyen, de todas maneras, otras referencias y apoteosis relevantes. La alusión a la imagen de la <i>pars</i>, siguiendo una de las denominaciones con más trascendencia formal en la obra, remite a la creación del hombre divino <i>semine</i> y a partir de <i>semina caeli</i>, aspecto que se estudia en el primer capítulo de la primera parte y se retoma en el análisis de cada apoteosis. La conclusión del trabajo es que el motivo de la apoteosis sólo puede inteligirse a la luz del final, en el que se representa la apoteosis del poeta. Al margen de la mitologización que opera en las historias con valor histórico y augusteo, Ovidio se ha preocupado por mantener, aunque sólo sea en forma referencial, el sentido de las apoteosis con el fin de desplegar toda su significación en la apoteosis final. Inversamente, el valor completo del motivo en el cierre de la obra exige aceptar su significación a lo largo de la obra. En el final, el poeta, un poeta <i>Romanus</i> en la medida en que su obra será leída donde se extienda la <i>Romana potentia</i>, se revela como el auténtico <i>sanctius</i> animal referido en la creación.

It has generally been thought that Hannibal was a hostile individual and despised in Roman society because of his non-Roman status and his apparent tendency to be deceptive, cruel and savage. Yet, our understanding of Hannibal as a character is limited. This thesis attempts to address his characterisation through an examination of his night-time military exploits, and argue that our knowledge of Hannibal can be expanded upon by examining how Livy characterised Hannibal in his account of the Second Punic War. Furthermore, this thesis takes a fresh approach to Hannibal’s characterisation, considering Livy’s use of ‘the night’ in association with military activity, and revealing that Hannibal displayed traits that the Romans themselves valued. Thus, Hannibal’s character is developed through a nocturnal military setting, and he becomes comparable to Rome’s finest generals, including Fabius Maximus, Marcellus and Scipio Africanus. Similarly, it is also shown that he exhibited Roman military virtus in place of the traits traditionally thought to be synonymous with the non-Roman. By analysing the character of Hannibal in this manner, we reveal that in Roman thought he was an ambiguous character, whilst simultaneously highlighting how the Romans both perceived and used the night within the context of the army.

This thesis demonstrates key imperial virtues communicated on Roman Imperial triumphal monuments. A closer examination of monuments located in Rome reveals the presentation of personality traits such as military valor, piety, and mercy through symbolism, nature scenes, and personifications of abstract qualities. Each monument is dedicated to an emperor and exemplifies his virtues. The representation of imperial virtues conveys an emperor's worth to the public by communicating his better qualities. Architecture and coin evidence served as media to convey an emperor's qualities to the public and fostered general acceptance of his rule among the public. Valor (virtus), piety (pietas), and mercy (clementia) are each examined to demonstrate their importance, their multiple types of representations in architecture, and their presentation and reach on coins. Chapters 2 through 4 look at the symbolism and representation of military courage and honor. As a military virtue, valor is easiest to represent and point out through battle scenes, military symbols, and gods who assisted the emperor in war. Honor (honos), as a close association to valor is also a promotable trait. Chapters 5 through 7 look at the multiple representations of an emperor's piety. Piety, being the Roman empire's oldest virtue, can be seen through sacrificial scenes, mythological scenes, and symbols associated with these same gods and sacrifices. Chapter 8 looks at personifications of abstract qualities and natural phenomena and their role in Roman cosmology. Chapter 9 looks at the last virtue, mercy, which is demonstrated as the most valuable but also rare because it demands special skills and balance within a ruler. Mercy's rarity makes its symbolism and representational scenery smaller in comparison to the first two but still evident in architecture and coins. Possession of each trait awarded the possessor honor and divinity heaped on him, as discussed in Chapter 10. The Romans saw divinity as an honor which the senate awarded upon display of these superior virtues. Several arguments are considered and add different viewpoints to how divinity was acquired whether for the possession of these qualities or the actions that resulted from them. This analysis of symbolism and relevant divine scenes associated with imperial virtues demonstrate the emperor's superiority through possession of these virtues and show their subtle inclusion in imperial architecture.

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Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-08-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:48:02Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 souza_da_me_assis_parcial.pdf: 54774 bytes, checksum: d766c143bca0c004bcecebbd9cc9a048 (MD5) Bitstreams deleted on 2014-11-14T12:16:57Z: souza_da_me_assis_parcial.pdf,Bitstream added on 2014-11-14T12:17:44Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000638477.pdf: 729122 bytes, checksum: 3041b976b775470280bae3f35a83a9b9 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Essa dissertação concebe uma breve reconstituição da situação dos estudos plinianos no Brasil e no mundo, apresentando os principais pesquisadores da referida área. Aborda a problemática da representação de homem político de acordo com o discurso apresentado por Plínio, o Jovem em seus livros de I à IX. Por meio desse epistolário faz uma análise da contribuição da fides e da virtus, bem como da imagem que o autor constói de si e do princeps na constituição do modelo de homem político durante o período de 96 a 113 d.C. Para tanto, utilizase dos pressupostos advindo das contribuições metodológicas elaboradas pela Histórica Cultural, em especial pelo conceito de representação adotado por Roger Chartier / This dissertation conceives a brief reconstitution of studies about Pliny, the Younger in Brazil and in the World, showing the majors researchers of this area. Approach problematic of the civil man’s representation according to the discourse presented by Pliny, the Younger in him books I to IX. Through this epistolary, we make a analysis of the contribution of the fides and the virtus, as well as the image created by the autor about himself and about the princeps in the constitution of the civic man’s model while 96 to 113 a. D. For this, we used the assumptions coming of methodological contributions prepared by the Cultural History, in special the representation’s concept adopted by Roger Chartier

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