Augustus Of Primaporta Statue Analysis

The statue Augustus of Primaporta was not only used to convey the likeness of the Emperor Augustus to his people across the Roman Empire, it was also interspersed with symbols and messages about the ruler’s ideals and power. It was distributed throughout the empire as propaganda for Augustus and as a declaration of the new era he intended to bring about. This strategic imagery and its successfulness in conveying the greatness of its commissioner influenced many successive leaders around the world to command similarly symbolic likenesses to be made of themselves, such as Trajan in the second century CE.

The statue has a wide, confident stance and an authoritative stature, with an arm raised as if giving orders to an army or proclaiming a great oration to inspire his people. Not only does Augustus of Primaporta depict Augustus as physically perfect, youthful, and very athletic, it also calls

to mind the level of flawlessness associated with art from the Golden Age of Greek culture. By echoing the Polykleitos’ Doryphoros, which was the canon for the model human form, Augustus creates an aura of godliness for himself, while also making a statement that he intends to be the catalyst for the genesis of a similar golden era for the Romans. This predicted the time of peace that his reign brought on, called the Pax Romana. Reinforcing this message are some symbolic figures of gods and goddesses carved into his breastplate. While scholars debate over the exact identities of these representations, it remains clear that the purpose was to exalt in Augustus’ power, his favor with the gods, and his military prowess. The most accepted interpretation is that the central figures are a Parthian returning the standards to a Roman, representing a battle won earlier in Augustus’ career. Underneath them is Tellus, the goddess of the earth, who, with babies and a cornucopia in her arms, predicts the prosperous Pax Romana to come. To the sides of the cuirass are two women who stand for conquered territories of the Roman Empire, and above everything float the gods Sol and Caelus, the sun and sky gods. This broadcasts the message that, under the rule of Augustus, the sun will continuously shine over every part of the empire. Similarly propagandistic messages are sprinkled throughout the rest of the statue, such as Cupid sitting astride a dolphin by Augustus’ leg, tugging at his cape. This alludes to Augustus’ lineage allegedly being traced back to Venus, Cupid’s mother, and to a famous naval victory of his. All of these aspects culminate to an effective expression of what Augustus wanted to represent, conveying a powerful image to his people and solidifying his respect throughout the empire.
Because of the deliberate imagery and symbolism in Augustus’ statue and the potent message of respect capability, and authority that Augustus of Primaporta conveyed, many later subsequent rulers imitated it.

It set the standard for political art and, due to the effectiveness of Augustus’ rule, exemplified the importance of a ruler’s public image. As a result, in the second century, Trajan had a similar statue made of himself for the same purpose: to glorify himself as a leader and gain the respect of his people. Parallels can be drawn in the youthful yet authoritative appearance of Trajan and Augustus, as well as in the almost identical stance: feet firmly planted and one arm raised as if in the midst of a powerful speech. Trajan is also dressed in a military uniform, and wears a cuirass interspersed with meaning. On the top of the cuirass is a sun, representing a time of plenty under Trajan’s leadership, similar to the breastplate of Augustus. Underneath, two winged women, most likely representing plenty or the blessing of the divine, meet in the middle of the Trajan’s

chest.
Augustus of Primaporta popularized the political strategy of employing symbols within depictions of rulers to impart a message about their goals, background, and dominance. This way of combining art and propaganda has continued to be used long after the reign of Augustus ended, not only by Roman emperors but by leaders worldwide.