Displaying the Res Gestae of Augustus: A Monument of Imperial Image for All

Abstract

In the empire-building process of Augustus, visual propaganda played an important role. The public display of the celebrated inscription enumerating the Res Gestae, or achievements, of Augustus served to disseminate the imperial image simultaneously in Rome and in the remote highlands of Anatolia in the east. The message and intended meaning of the inscription derived not from content alone but architectonic placement. The article demonstrates the prevalence of mnemonic processes for ancient perception and evaluates the impact of the inscription through placement in a funerary context in Rome and in two precincts of the imperial cult in Anatolia. It is shown that all functioned to persuade and instruct different audiences in the process of creating an imperial image of unity.