Augustus on social and religious reforms PDF

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An essay on the social and religious reforms that augustus put into place during the Augustan Age ...

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Augustus made many reforms during his reign, and these included many social and religious reforms. HE made these reforms to promote his reign, glorify and gain the support of his people. Within his social reforms included the Lex papia Poppaea, which looked at changes regarding the lowering birth rate, as well as the mockery of marriage and the increasing adultery. The Lex Papia Poppaea encouraged procreation and childbirth, as well as increased marriage. He also reorganised the social classes, and moved around positions in freedmen, equestrians, senators and other parties. As well as his social reforms, Augustus was Pontifex Maximus, head of power regarding religion. He both made many religious and social reforms, which helped him consolidate and arrange his empire. The Lex Papia Poppaea were introduced as a means of addressing the declining birth rate among upper class citizens, decaying in family life and values. Many rich Romans were reluctant to marry, and adultery became almost fashionable. There were 3 main bills that were introduced, including penalising those who did not marry, enabling men who married and had more children to promote their careers, and penalising adultery and defining terms of divorce. These also forbade the marriage of senatorial class with freedmen, prevented unmarried people from accepting inheritance, and promoting marriage by placing fines on celibacy after a certain age, requiring widows to marry within one year and divorced women to marry within 6 months. This tactic however, backfired as his daughter Julia was known for her scandalous sexual activities and sleeping around, and thus she was exiled. There were other social reforms within his time, and these included reorganising social status, as well as other things. Equestrian numbers increased from 1800 to 5000, militarised, forming 6 squadrons, promoting nobility and morality. He also improved water, and had many aqueducts built for the water supply, controlled the grain supply, provided many games and entertainment to keep the people happy. He also made it harder for slaves to become free, and his building program also created jobs within the jobless. He restored the prestige to the equestrian class, and they did civil services if they had experience in banking, tax collecting and business. They were given horses at the expense of the state. Their status was restored as there was competition among the senators and equestrians and he wanted to avoid this. Some freemen did administrative duties, but they were unable to hold public office or serve in legions. They were admitted into guilds and became shopkeepers. Some were able to become prefects, administrators of judicial and financial. And prefects of smaller provinces. He mainly needed more minor roles filled, and made the equestrian class promoted talented members, made higher posts as minor clerks or officials, and granted prestige and influence. Thus there were quite a few social reforms, including improving the morality of citizens and promoting freedmen and equestrians. Finally, there were many religious reforms as well. Since the Republic, there had been less Roman tradition, and he went through many religious reforms. Paralleling the social reforms mentioned above, Augustus was able to choose a group of freedmen and equestrians to become the Augustales, men who worshipped the emperor. Temples to Roma and Augustus were set up. However, worship of himself was not encouraged, but the eastern provinces did it anyway. He renewed the cult of the lares, which were household gods. Shrines were placed at crossroads, and his genius (spirit) was linked with this cult. As pontifex maximus “chief priest”, he was a priest of all cults. He extended the privileges of the Vestal Virgins, provided funding for cults and festivals, held secular games in honour of Apollo and Diana, and he also renewed the priestly colleges and chose many members from the senatorial families. He made over 80 temples to major cults and gods including Apollo, Minerva, Jupiter, Mars the Avenger and etc. He also created new patrician families from which to recruit members of the colleges. He promoted the gods associated with the Julian Clan and divine nature. 700 words...