Similar to Gods: Some Words in the Imperial Cult in the Roman Empire

Year 2020, Volume: 20, 127 - 141, 25.11.2020

Andres Cid Zurıta

https://doi.org/10.37095/gephyra.757094

Abstract

When Augustus died, the imperial cults were wide spread all over the Mediterranean. Considering that point, it is important to recall how the divine and divinizing words were produced to the princpeps and the imperial family, and, if these words can be seen as a sincere expression of divinity (even in life) or just a mere adulation form. This is an interpretative study of some Greek and Latin inscriptions, that seeks to establish various elements that make some differences and bring new suggestions to the concept of imperial cults because this religious manifestation was not the only one form of cult with continuations and additions. In fact, it had some marked differences that the evidences could demonstrate with the other ruler-cult forms. The importance of words is unique: they can show literally and figurative the expressions of one person and some individuals. In this point it is important to note that inscriptions can even be exaggerating individuals’ rhetoric and it cannot be forgotten the language-game as Wittgenstein pointed out.
Furthermore, the geographical locations and the cultural manifestations are important to note because depending the place, usually it can be found more or less powerful words to the imperial cult. Using the religious and political epigraphical monuments and the literature of the period some ideas can be tracked about the titulature of the imperial cult and the problems that still arise.

Keywords: Imperial Cults, Divinity of Roman Emperors, Greek Inscriptions, Latin Inscriptions, Interpretations.

Keywords

Imperial Cults, Divinity of Roman Emperors, Greek Inscriptions, Latin Inscriptions

Tanrılar Gibi: Roma İmparatorluğu’nda İmparator Kültündeki Bazı İfadeler

Abstract

Augustus öldüğünde imparatorluk kültleri tüm Akdeniz’de yaygınlaşmıştı. Buna istinaden, princeps ve imparatorluk ailesine yönelik tanrısal ve tanrılaştıran sözcüklerin nasıl üretildiğini ve eğer bu ifadeler (günlük yaşamda bile) tanrısallığın samimi bir dile getirilmesi ya da yaranma olup olmadığını hatırlamak önemlidir. Seçilmiş bazı Yunanca ve Latince yazıtların yorumlanması yoluyla, bu çalışma çeşitli zıt öğeler sunmayı ve imparatorluk kültleri konseptine yeni öneriler getirmeyi hedeflemektedir, zira bu dini dışavurum sadece devamlılık ve eklemelerle giden bir kült formu değildi. Aslında veriler, diğer yönetici kült formalarıyla karşılaştırıldığında bazı farklılıklar göstermektedir. İfadelerin önemi üniktir: bir kişinin ya da çeşitli bireylerin ifade edilmesini olduğu gibi ya da mecazi olarak gösterebilmektedirler. Yazıtların bireylerin retoriğini abartabileceğini ve Wittgenstein’in işaret ettiği üzere, “dil oyunu”nun yok sayılamayacağına dikkat etmek önemlidir.
Ayrıca, coğrafi yerler ve kültürel dışavurumlar nedeniyle imparatorluk kült ifadeleri değişebileceğinden bunları dikkate almak önem arzetmektedir. Makalede, dini ve politik içerikteki epigrafik veriler ve edebi metinler çerçevesinde, imparatorluk kültü titulatürü ve hali hazırda devam sorunlar hakkındaki bazı düşünceler gözlemlenebilir.

Keywords

İmparatorluk kültleri, Roma imparatorlarının tanrısallıkları, Eski Yunanca Yazıtlar, Latince Yazıtlar

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