Augustus' Use of Propaganda & Literature to Strengthen Position

Why did Augustus aim to avoid being seen as a tyrant like his adoptive father Caesar?

• To gain more power over the Roman people

• For the safety of himself and the Roman people

• To assert his dominance over the Senate

• o challenge the traditional image of rulers

Why did Octavian believe it was important to restore power to the Republic?

• To ensure his own safety

• To challenge the authority of the Senate

• To gain more personal wealth

• To honor his adoptive father Caesar

How did Augustus portray his restoration of the Republic in his Res Gestae?

• As a declaration of war against the Senate

• As a transfer of power from the Senate to himself

• As a successful collaboration with the Senate and People of Rome

• As a relinquishing of all authority

According to Tacitus, how did Augustus maintain control despite his claims of restoring power?

• By using brute force against his opponents

• By distracting people with food and gratuities

• By manipulating the government and elections

• By appealing to the Senate for support

How did Augustus' use of literature and inscriptions contribute to his position?

• By spreading rumors and misinformation

• By revealing his true intentions to the public

• By portraying an image of a restored Republic

• By openly admitting his autocratic rule

What were the two main themes of Augustan propaganda?

• Military conquest and territorial expansion

• Religious reform and cultural revival

• Establishing power and promoting trade

• Establishing power and peace/stability

Which mythical figures were used in Augustan propaganda to establish his position and image?

• Deified Julius Caesar and Mars

• Apollo and Venus

• Ramous and Romulus

• Aeneas and Ascanius

How did Vergil's Aeneid contribute to Augustus' propaganda program?

• By depicting Augustus as a tyrant

• By telling the story of Aeneas and his lineage

• By criticizing Augustus' military conquests

• By promoting rebellion against Augustus

Answer explanation

When one reads the Aeneid, it becomes clear why Augustus desired for it to be made public.

 

"Now turn your two eyes here, to look upon your Romans, your own people. Here is Caesar and the line of lulus that will come beneath the mighty curve of heaven. This is the man you heard so often promised Augustus Caesar, son of a god, who will renew a golden age in Latium." (Aeneid VI, 1044-1050]

What was the relationship between Augustus and the poets of his rule?

• Augustus controlled and influenced their writings

• The poets wrote independently and opposed Augustus

• The poets were unaware of Augustus' propaganda efforts

• The poets resisted Augustus' attempts to control their work

What was the overall impact of literature in Augustus' propaganda strategy?

• It challenged the authority of the Senate

• It created division among the Roman people

• It reinforced Augustus' divine lineage and image

• It exposed the weaknesses in Augustus' rule