Always I am Caesar

For Angela Aslanska and Robin Seager

ALWAYS I AM CAESAR
W. Jeffrey Tatum

 2008 by W. Jeffrey Tatum BLACKWELL PUBLISHING 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford OX4 2DQ, UK 550 Swanston Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia The right of W. Jeffrey Tatum to be identied as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs, and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher. Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks, or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. First published 2008 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd 1 2008

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Tatum, W. Jeffrey. Always I am Caesar / W. Jeffrey Tatum. p. cm. Includes bibliographical refrences and index. ISBN 978-1-4051-7525-8 (pbk. : alk. paper) ISBN 978-1-4051-7526-5 (hardcover : alk. paper) 1. Caesar, Julius. 2. RomeHistoryRepublic, 26530 B.C. 3. Heads of stateRomeBiography. 4. GeneralsRomeBiography. I. Title. DG261.T38 2008 937.05092dc22 2007036296 A catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library. Set in 10.5 on 13pt Minion by SNP Best-set Typesetter Ltd., Hong Kong Printed and bound in Singapore by Markono Print Media Pte Ltd The publishers policy is to use permanent paper from mills that operate a sustainable forestry policy, and which has been manufactured from pulp processed using acid-free and elementary chlorine-free practices. Furthermore, the publisher ensures that the text paper and cover board used have met acceptable environmental accreditation standards. For further information on Blackwell Publishing, visit our website at www.blackwellpublishing.com

Contents

List of Charts, Maps, and Figures Acknowledgements Charts Maps Introduction 1 Caesar the Politician: Power and the People in Republican Rome 2 Conquests and Glories, Triumphs and Spoils: Caesar and the Ideology of Roman Imperialism 3 Pontifex Maximus: Caesar and the Manipulation of Civic Religion 4 The Stones of Rome: Caesar and the Sociology of Roman Public Building 5 My True and Honourable Wife: Cornelia and Pompeia, Calpurnia and Cleopatra 6 7 8 Great Men and Impersonal Groundswells: The Civil War Great Caesar Fell: Philosophy, Politics, and Assassination The Evil that Men Do: Caesar and Augustus

vi viii ix xii 1 18 42 61 80 99 122 145 167 189 190 194

Important Dates Bibliography Index

Lists of Charts, Maps, and Figures

Charts
1 The family of Julius Caesar 2 Caesar and the Aurelii Cottae 3 Cato and his connections ix x xi

Maps
1 The Mediterranean in the time of Caesar 2 The city of Rome during the republic 3 The Roman Forum during the republic xii xiii xiv

Figures
1 Colossal portrait head of Caesar, from the 2nd century ad 2 Portrait of Pompey, a rst century ad copy of an original dating to the fties bc 3 Portrait of Cicero, an imperial copy of a late republican original 4 Portrait of Cato in bronze, from the 1st century ad 5 Caesar, a contemporary portrait 6 Funerary procession in a relief from Amiternum, 1st century ad 7 Obverse of a denarius of 44 bc representing Caesar as Pontifex Maximus and as Parens Patriae (Father of his Country) vi 2 7 9 10 19 34

36

lists of charts, maps, and gures 8 Lionel Royers Vercingetorix throws his arms at the feet of Caesar 9 Obverse and reverse of a denarius of 32 bc. The obverse depicts Mark Antony, the reverse Cleopatra 10 Portrait of Cleopatra, probably (in large degree) a replica of Cleopatras statue in the Temple of Venus Genetrix 11 Cleopatra and Caesarion as Isis and Osiris making sacrice to the goddess Hathor. South wall of the Temple of Hathor, Dendera, Egypt 12 Reverse of a denarius of 4342 bc depicting a pileus (a cap indicating freedman status and so an emblem of freedom) between two daggers resting above the phase Ides of March. The obverse of this coin depicts Brutus 13 Obverse of a denarius of 44 bc depicting Caesar as Dictator for the Fourth Time 14 Vincenzo Camuccinis Assassination of Julius Caesar 15 Obverse and reverse of a bronze coin of approximately 38 bc. The obverse depicts Octavian described as Caesar, son of god. The reverse depicts Caesar as Divus Iulius 16 Augustus as Pontifex Maximus, a contemporary portrait 58 116 118

119

142 150 166

177 179

vii

Acknowledgements

It is my pleasure to thank Tricia Smith, at Art Resource, Jenni Adam and Axellle Russo at The British Museum, Luisa Veneziano at the German Archaeological Institute, Rome, and Heidie Philipsen and Claus Grnne at Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek for their helpfulness. I also owe thanks to Indiana University Press for permission to quote from R. Humphries, Ovid. Metamorphoses, and to Penguin Press for permission to quote from D. West, The Aeneid by Virgil. I am grateful to Otago University for appointing me its De Carle Distinguished Lecturer in 2005 and to the universitys Department of Classics for its unexcelled hospitality during my stay. I am indebted to Al Bertrand, Nancy de Grummond, John Marincola, Marjorie and Keith Maslen, and (especially) Jon Hall. My debts to Robin Seager run deeper, and it is my pleasure to acknowledge that reality in the dedication, a billing he shares, for different (but also profound) reasons, with Angela Aslanska.

viii

CHART 1

THE FAMILY OF JULIUS CAESAR

Sex. Julius Caesar (cos. 157) L. Julius Caesar (pr. by 129) ? Sex. Julius Caesar (cos. 91) JULIA = GAIUS MARIUS CAESAR Sex. Julius Caesar (pr. 123)

Q. Marcius Rex (pr. 144) C. Julius Caesar = Marcia

C. Julius Caesar = Aurelia (pr. ca. 93) Julia = M. Atius Balbus

? = (1) L. Marcius Philippus (2) = (2) Atia (1) = C. Octavius (cos. 56) (pr. 61) CATO = Marcia GAIUS OCTAVIUS/AUGUSTUS Octavia

CHART 2
L. Aurelius Cotta (cos. 144)

CAESAR AND THE AURELII COTTAE

P. Rutilius Rufus (tr. pl. 169)

C. Livius Drusus (cos. 147)

L. Aurelius Cotta (cos. 119)

M. Aurelius Cotta = Rutilia

P. Rutilius Rufus = Livia (cos. 105)

M. Livius Drusus (cos. 112)

L. Aurelius Cotta (pr. 95)

AURELIA = C. Julius Caesar (pr. c. 92) JULIUS CAESAR

Mam. Aemilius Lepidus Livianus (cos. 77)

C. Aurelius Cotta (cos. 75)

M. Aurelius Cotta (cos. 74)

L. Aurelius Cotta (cos. 65)

CHART 3

CATO AND HIS CONNECTIONS

Q. Servilius Caepio (cos. 140) M. Livius Drusus (cos. 112)

Q. Servilius Caepio (cos. 106)

Servilia = Q. Lutatius Catulus (cos. 102) Q. LUTATIUS CATULUS (cos. 78)

Q. Servilius Caepio = (1) Livia (2) = M.Porcius Cato (pr. 91)

Mam. Aemilius Lepidus Livianus (cos. 77)

D. Junius = (2) SERVILIA (1) = M. Junius Silanus Brutus (cos. 62) (tr. pl. 83)

Atilia = (1) CATO (2) = Marcia Porcia = DOMITIUS AHENOBARBUS (cos. 54)

BRUTUS (2) = (2) Porcia (1) M. CALPURNIUS BIBULUS (cos. 59) Junia Junia Junia =LEPIDUS =P. Servilius =CASSIUS Isauricus (cos. 48)

BRITAIN Atlantic Ocean

GERMANY
Dan ube

Alesia
Rhne

TRANSALPINE GAUL NEARER SPAIN

Verona

CISALPINE GAUL
CORSICA Rome SARDINIA SICILY

IL

LY R

Black Sea
IC UM
Phillipi Pharsalus Actium Utica Carthage Thapsus

H BIT

YNIA

PONTUS

Zela

Mytilene

ASIA

AFRICA

MALTA

Mediterranean Sea

CRETE

CYPRUS

Alexandria
500 km

EGYPT

Map 1 The Mediterranean in the time of Caesar.

PARTHIA

M A U R E T A N I A

CILICIA

SYRIA

Nile

0 0
La Via ta

3000 feet 800 metres

Porta Collina

Aq u

r Tibe

ar

cia

4 3
Saepta Campus Martius Theatre of Pompey (55 BC) Area Sacra di Largo Argentina Temples of Apollo and Bellona Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus

Porticus Octavia Temple of Hercules of the Muses Porticus Metelli

6 2
an Wa ll

Circus Flaminius

Temple of Concord (121 BC) Forum Temple of Castor (Dioscuri)

Forum Holitorium Porta Carmentalis and Porta Triumphalis Temple of Hercules Olivarius or Victor Temple of Ceres

House of Temples of Fortuna Aemilius Scaurus and Mater Matuta 1 Forum Temple of Boarium Magna Mater
Ci rc us

Ap Aqua
M ax im us

pia

Se r vi

Ara Maxima

Hills of Rome 1 Palatine 2 Capitol 3 Quirinal 4 Viminal 5 Esquiline 6 Oppian 7 Caelian 8 Aventine

Porta Capena

Temple of Mercury

er Tib
ilia m Ae

Vi a

Ap p

ia

rti Po

cu

Emporium

Horrea Galbana

an rvi Se

ll Wa

Via

Anio Vetus

La

tin a

Tomb of the Scipios

Map 2 The city of Rome during the republic. Source: Rosenstein, N., and Morstein-Marx, R. (eds.), A Companion to the Roman Republic (Oxford, 2006).

a Vi pia Ap

N
emil ia /A Fulv li Pau Bas ilica e Tab rnae ia / ae Nov

Fabian Arch (Fornix Fabianus)

Vi a

ra Sac

Argiletum

Curia Hostilia / Cornelia Basilica Porcia

us Dom

l Pub

ica

Regia Capitol Carcer Temple of Concord (121 BC)

Comitium Rostra Forum Romanum

Temple of Vesta

Temple of Saturn
s Cap Clivu

e Tab

rna Bas
itolinu s

ete eV ilica

res pro Sem nia

Lacus Iuturnae

Tabularium (78 BC)

Temple of Castor

Palatine Hill

Area Capitolina

Vicus Iugarius

Cloaca Maxima (Great Drain)

100 metres

100 yards

Map 3 The Roman Forum during the republic. Source: Rosenstein, N., and Morstein-Marx, R. (eds.), A Companion to the Roman Republic (Oxford, 2006).