Nelu ZUGRAVU (Centrul de Studii Clasice și Creștine, Facultatea de Istorie, Universitatea „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași),
Veterum principum exempla superare: un motiv retoric și ideologic în epigrafia, istoriografia și oratoria latină târzie [Vererum principum exempla superare: A rhetorical and ideological motif in late Latin epigraphy, historiography and oratory]
Keywords: epigraphy, historiography, late Latin oratory, imperial ideology, exempla, princeps optimus, clementia, civilitas.
Abstract: Vererum principum exempla superare: A rhetorical and ideological motif in late Latin epigraphy, historiography and oratory. Our contribution analyzes an ideological and rhetorical motive present in the late Latin epigraphy, historiography and oratory of pagan orientation that can be subsumed to the formula veterum principum exempla superare. It reflects the desire assumed by the late emperors and the apparatus of the Court to find a model, ideal emperor, whose virtues and deeds correspond and surpass not only those of the great personalities of the royal and republican history of Rome, but especially those of the sovereigns of the early Empire; in other words, a new optimus princeps. Those who made the epigraphic dedications, the authors of the historical writings and the oratories used relatively similar procedures: formulas such as super omnes principes, super omnes priores principes, omnes retro principes, super omnes retro principes, omnium retro principes; words to the superlative degree (indulgentissimus, fortissimus, felicissimus, piissimus, clementissimus, providentissimus, invictissimus, nobilissimus, victoriosissimus, maximus, humanissimus etc.); comparisons in favor of the reigning emperor between virtutes imperatoriae (indulgentia, felicitas, pietas, clementia, virtus, gloria, benivolentia, iustitia, munificentia, sanctitudo, provisio, humanitas, amicitia etc.). The proposed models are diverse, but the general impression left by these communication tools is that, in the political and social conditions of the late Empire, characterized by the establishment of imperial absolutism, excess of power and arbitrariness, an attempt was made to draw a model of a new princeps civilis in the tradition of Trajan – therefore, possessor, above all, of clementia, part of civilitas.
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