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I. The Fear of the Orient in the Roman Empire

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 December 2011

M. P. Charlesworth
M. P. Charlesworth
Affiliation:
Fellow of St John's College, Cambridge
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Extract

In September of the year 29 B.C. the citizens of Rome saw pass before them one of the most splendid triumphs ever celebrated in their city. In it Caius Julius Caesar Octavianus, the heir and successor of Julius Caesar, now sole master of the Mediterranean world, displayed the spoils he had won from his campaigns in Illyria and Dalmatia, at the battle of Actium, and by the conquest of Egypt. The spectacle must have been gratifying to Roman pride and a fair omen for future security: in the young victor were centred the hopes of the Roman people for external conquest and internal peace. Octavian had now reached the summit of his desires, his word and will appeared all-powerful; yet he was already aware that he was bound to a policy imposed upon him by his own success, and as time went on he became conscious that the very completeness of his victory, though it satisfied immediate demands, presented embarrassing problems for the future. In order to defeat Antony and to secure the necessary support for himself he had utilised a sentiment which had recently grown strong in Rome, and he was now to some extent fettered by the feeling he had aroused. This feeling was a profound fear of the Orient and mistrust of all things Oriental, and Octavian had posed as the champion of Roman manners and institutions, and had thus succeeded in concentrating on himself the enthusiasm of all Italy. He was now committed to this policy; in future years there must be no suspicion of Orientalism whether in government or institutions or religion. And even though Octavian might satisfy his countrymen on this score, he himself found it difficult to throw off the anxiety and embarrassment that the possession of Egypt caused him.

Type
Research Article
Information
Cambridge Historical Journal , Volume 2 , Issue 1 , 1926 , pp. 9 - 16
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1926

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References

page 09 note 1 For a general statement of the position cp. E. Meyer, Caesar Augustus, Kleine Schriften, p. 468. For the “coniuratio” of all Italy, see Suet. Aug. 17, and Mon. Ancyr. 25. The word “Oriental” is used in its geographical sense.

page 10 note 1 Caesar's schemes: see Suet. Julius, 79, 4, and Nicol. Damasc. XX. (Jacoby). Cp. the remarks of Païs in his article in Atti di reale accad. di archeolog. II. 1913, p. 169Google Scholar, of Rice Holmes in his The Roman Republic, III. 337 (and notes), and of Meyer, in Caesars Monarchie, pp. 521 ff., and notes. For Decimus Brutus' declaration, cp. Plutarch, Caes. 64. For Disraeli and the “Empress of India,” cp. Hans. Deb. 3rd ser. vol. 128, p. 273, “I am sure that under no circumstances would Her Majesty assume, by the advice of her Ministers, the title of Empress in England”; v. also pp. 319–20; and vol. 127, pp. 407–27, etc., which describe the heartburnings.

page 11 note 1 For the policy of Antony and Cleopatra, see Jeanmaire, , “La Politique Religieuse d'Antoine et Cléopatre” in Revue Archéol. XIX. 1924, pp. 241 ff.Google Scholar For Octavian's pretence that Cleopatra had bewitched Antony, cp. Plut. Ant. 60, and Dio. 50. 5. 3. For the “triumph” at Alexandria, cp. Velleius Paterculus, II. 82. 4, and Dio. 49. 40.

page 11 note 2 On this point see my note, “Deus Noster Caesar,” in Class. Rev. 1925, pp. 113–114Google Scholar.

page 12 note 1 Camillus' speech, Livy, V. 51–54. The other passages in Horace, Odes, III. 3, 60 ff., and Vergil, Aeneid, XII. 826 ff. and III. 521 ff. Cp. Meyer, op. cit. and Pascal, , “L'Abbandono di Roma” in Rendiconti di Reale Istit. Lombardo, LVII. 1924, pp. 713 ffGoogle Scholar.

page 12 note 2 For relevant passages v. my article quoted in note 2, p. 3.

page 12 note 3 The relevant passages are Suetonius, Calig. 22. 1 (the diadem), and 49. 2 (Alexandria); Nero. 19. 1 (Alexandria), and 53. 1 (the tame lion); and Domit. 13. 2.

page 13 note 1 Cp. generally the opening chapters in Costa, Religione e politico nel Impero Romano, 1923. Refusal to see Apis, Suet. Aug. 93; praise for Gaius not visiting Jerusalem, ibid. For references to Egyptian gods and “latrator Anubis,” see Vergil, Aeneid, VIII. 698; Propertius, III. xi. 41; Ovid, Metam. IX. 690. Observe too the part Anubis plays in the scandal of Paulina; see note 2 below.

page 13 note 2 The Jews—contempt of religion, Pliny, Nat. Hist. XII. 46, mourning for Caesar, Suet. Caes. 84. 5. Isiac and Jewish scandals, Josephus, Antiq.Jud. XVIII. 65 ff.; expulsions, Suet. Tib. 36, and Claud. 25; Tacitus, Ann. II. 85. The burning of the Temple, Sulpicius Severus, Chron. II. 30. 6. Charge of “leading a Jewish life,” Suet. Domit. 12. 2. For a recent treatment of the charges against the Christians see Walzing, J.-P., Le Crime Rituel reproché aux Chrétiens, Brussels, 1925Google Scholar.

page 14 note 1 Egypt: Augustus' restriction, Tacitus, Ann. II. 59; Hist. 1. 11. For Gallus, see Suet. Aug. 66, and the famous inscription of Philae, in Dittenberger, O.G.I.S. no. 654.

page 14 note 2 Actions of Titus; v. Suet. Titus, 5. 3, and 7.

page 14 note 3 For the relevant passages on Germanicus' visit to Egypt, see Tacitus, Ann. II. 59, II. 87; Suet. Tib. 52, 3; and Pliny, Nat. Hist. VIII. 185. Cp., too, Cichorius, Römische Studien, pp. 375 ff. For the estates of Germanicus in Egypt see Rostovtseff, Social and Economic History of the Roman Empire, pp. 573–4. Hatred of Egypt for Vespasian, Suet. Vesp. 19. 2.

page 15 note 1 For African colonies, cp. Pliny, Nat. Hist. V. 30, and T. Frank in Class. Rev. XL. 15, with the authorities there cited, especially Heitland and Rostovtseff. Vespasian's intended invasion of Africa, Tacitus, Hist. III. 48.

page 15 note 2 For Spain and Gaul see my Trade Routes of the Reman Empire, pp. 162–163 and 194. For corn from South Russia, see Rostovtseff, Iranians and Greeks, pp. 153 ff. Corn from Moesia, Corp. Inscr. hat. XIV. 3608. For Domitian's rescript see Suet. Domit. 7. 2.

page 15 note 3 Return of corn to Egypt: Pliny, Panegyricus, 31.

page 16 note 1 The new African corn-fleet: Hist. Aug. Commodus, 17, and see A. Audollent, Carthage Romaine, p. 359: Severus sends a force to Africa, Hist. Aug. Severus, 8.