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Celestial Inclinations offers original insights into the practical application of observational astronomy and astrology as political tools by Rome's first emperor Augustus. It combines history, astronomy, literature, art, and more to provide a new perspective on the life of Augustus, a man who believed his destiny was written in the stars.
List of contents
- List of Figures
- List of Tables
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Nigidius Figulus and the Birth of a Future Dominus for the World
- Chapter 2 Celestial Display and Cicero's Consular Year
- Chapter 3 Celestial Venus, Caesar's Victories, and the Julian Calendar
- Chapter 4 Cicero's Aratea and the Education of Octavius in the Fixed Constellations
- Chapter 5 Theogenes of Apollonia and Geniturae of Agrippa and Octavius
- Chapter 6 Octavianus and the Sidus Crinitum of September 44 B.C.
- Chapter 7 Conflict, Alliance, and the Stella Comans
- Chapter 8 Antonius, Octavianus, and the Egyptian Mathematicus
- Chapter 9 Octavianus, Antonius, and the Banquet of the Twelve Gods
- Chapter 10 From Naulochus to Actium
- Chapter 11 Triumphs and Temples after the Battle of Actium
- Chapter 12 A New Name for Octavianus and the Ludi Saeculares
- Chapter 13 Deaths in the Family and the Ara Pacis Augustae
- Chapter 14 Consolidation and Transition in the Final Years of Augustus' Rule
- Chapter 15 Honores Caelestes: The Death, Funeral, and Deification of Augustus
- Bibliography
- Index
About the author
Anne-Marie Lewis is Associate Professor of Ancient Greek and Latin at York University in Toronto, Canada.
Summary
Celestial Inclinations offers original insights into the practical application of observational astronomy and astrology as political tools by Rome's first emperor Augustus. It combines history, astronomy, literature, art, and more to provide a new perspective on the life of Augustus, a man who believed his destiny was written in the stars.
Additional text
[Lewis'] unique approach employs astronomical and astrological works as the foundational evidence for Augustus's actions, resulting in an analysis of the emperor based on astronomical sky maps at an unprecedented level. This analysis yields new interpretations of Augustus's reign and provides a better understanding of the Roman ruler. It offers a novel approach to understanding Augustus and Roman society during his life and provides an opportunity for Roman scholars to reimagine the relationship Roman elites had with Roman religion...Highly recommended.
