The Rule of the Antonine Dynasty: the Ideal and the Reality. Some Notes on the Presentation of the “ideal Ruler”

Abstract

In the article is treated the problem of representation of the sovereigns during the ruling time of the Antonines from Antoninus Pius to Commodus. In the period of the early principate a new ideal has established itself — an adopted from the Senate nobility “princeps bonus“. Panegyric works “directed” the activity of the upper classes in favor of the subjects as well as for the fixing of the imperial borders, whereupon they have essentially determined the actions of the emperor. The image of an ideal ruler began to form himself during the reign of Trajan — a princeps maximus par excellence and was finally constituted under Marcus Aurelius. The characteristic feature of the ancient tradition was the contrasting juxtaposition of a “good” and a “bad” ruler with the purpose of accentuation of propagated ideals. Common clichés and standards have been achieved at the expense of loss of Individuality of single persons. Just as the rulers at any other time possessed the Antonines for all common and individual character traits that have marked their reign. On the whole, however, was this period only the continuation of the existing tradition with the “retrospection” to the existing canons.