Date of Award
Spring 5-15-2009
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
History
College
College of Humanities and Fine Arts
Abstract/Description
Many previous studies have been completed on ancient Rome, including studies on Augustus, gender issues, and the Roman games, which have helped create a timeline of Augustus's rise to power, an architectural layout of the Circus Maximus and a social hierarchy based on gender. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the relationship between these three areas of research. The thesis will address the political agenda of the Emperor Augustus and will argue that the perceived notions of masculinity that were prevalent in Roman public life largely impacted his actions. In addition, the thesis will demonstrate how politics and masculinity were intimately related to the games, focusing mainly on the events Augustus hosted in the Circus Maximus. Finally, the work will illustrate how the architecture of the Circus Maximus, especially the location and importance of the obelisk Augustus placed on the barrier, was a political statement that embodied the social order of the empire, reminded the Roman citizens of the army's victories over foreign peoples, and aligned Augustus with the gods, legitimizing his sovereignty in Rome.
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Recommended Citation
Thompson, Katie, "Augustus and the Architecture of Masculinity" (2009). Honors Theses. 153.
https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/honors-theses/153