Dictator perpetuo: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 19:14, 2 April 2024

Dictator perpetuo (English: "dictator in perpetuity"), also called dictator in perpetuum,^[1] was the office held by Julius Caesar just before the end of his life. He was granted the title between 26 January and 15 February during the year 44 BC, shortly before his assassination on 15 March.^[2] By abandoning the time restrictions of the regular Roman dictatorship, it elevated Caesar's to a rank more akin to the ancient Roman kings.

History

Julius Caesar held the dictator position for only eleven days in 49 BCE (holding elections either as dictator Comit. habend. or as dictator rei gerundae causa) and again for the year 48/47 BCE. In 46 BCE, he was elected dictator for the next ten years. At some point between January and February 44 BCE he was appointed dictator perpetuo, but was assassinated less than two months later, on the Ides of March.^[3]

Stefan Weinstock has argued that the perpetual dictatorship was part of the senatorial decrees regarding Caesar's divine honors, as well as his planned apotheosis as Divus Iulius, a complex of honors aimed at eternity and divinity.^[4]

References

^ For this title in inscriptions and texts cf. the Fasti Capitolini (Rome): ..../ [C(aius) Iulius C(ai) f(ilius) C(ai) n(epos) Caesar in perpetuum dict(ator)] / [rei gerundae causa]... and the Fasti Amiternini (Amiternum/ Poggio San Vittorino): ...[C(aius) Iulius Ca]esar dict(ator) [in p]erpetuum/ [bellu]m civil(e) Mutine(n)se / cum M(arco) [A]ntonio...; important is also Livy, Perioch. CXVI Archived 2018-12-04 at the Wayback Machine: Caesar... Et cum plurimi maximique honores a senatu decreti essent (inter quos... dictator in perpetuum esset...)... For the date "Julius Caesar: Dates and Events".
^ Wilson, Mark (2021). Dictator: The Evolution of the Roman Dictatorship. University of Michigan Press. p. 310. ISBN 978-0-472-12920-1.
^ Martin Jehne (1987), Der Staat des Dicators Caesar, Köln/Wien, pp. 15-38.
^ Weinstock, Stefan (1971). Divus Julius. Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-814287-4.

[1] For this title in inscriptions and texts cf. the Fasti Capitolini (Rome): ..../ [C(aius) Iulius C(ai) f(ilius) C(ai) n(epos) Caesar in perpetuum dict(ator)] / [rei gerundae causa]... and the Fasti Amiternini (Amiternum/ Poggio San Vittorino): ...[C(aius) Iulius Ca]esar dict(ator) [in p]erpetuum/ [bellu]m civil(e) Mutine(n)se / cum M(arco) [A]ntonio...; important is also Livy, Perioch. CXVI Archived 2018-12-04 at the Wayback Machine: Caesar... Et cum plurimi maximique honores a senatu decreti essent (inter quos... dictator in perpetuum esset...)... For the date "Julius Caesar: Dates and Events".

[2] Wilson, Mark (2021). Dictator: The Evolution of the Roman Dictatorship. University of Michigan Press. p. 310. ISBN 978-0-472-12920-1.

[3] Martin Jehne (1987), Der Staat des Dicators Caesar, Köln/Wien, pp. 15-38.

[4] Weinstock, Stefan (1971). Divus Julius. Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-0-19-814287-4.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 [[File:Gaius Julius Caesar, denarius, 44 BC, RRC 480-10.jpg|thumb|Denarius of [[List of Roman moneyers during the Republic|moneyer]] [[Sepullia gens|P. Sepullius Macer]] with the head of [[Julius Caesar]] on the obverse. The legend on the obverse reads {{Smallcaps|dict perpetvo caesar}}]]
-'''{{Lang|la|Dictator perpetuo}}''' ([[English language|English]]: "dictator in perpetuity"), also called '''''dictator in perpetuum''''',<ref>For this title in inscriptions and texts ''cf''. the ''Fasti Capitolini'' (Rome): ..../ ''[C(aius) Iulius C(ai) f(ilius) C(ai) n(epos) Caesar in perpetuum dict(ator)] / [rei gerundae causa]''... and the ''Fasti Amiternini'' (''Amiternum''/ Poggio San Vittorino): ''...[C(aius) Iulius Ca]esar dict(ator) [in p]erpetuum/ [bellu]m civil(e) Mutine(n)se / cum M(arco) [A]ntonio...''; important is also [https://www.livius.org/li-ln/livy/periochae/periochae116.html Livy, ''Perioch.'' CXVI] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204053846/http://www.livius.org/li-ln/livy/periochae/periochae116.html |date=2018-12-04 }}: ''Caesar... Et cum plurimi maximique honores a senatu decreti essent (inter quos... dictator in perpetuum esset...)...'' For the date [http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/datesjc.html "Julius Caesar: Dates and Events"].</ref> was the office held by [[Julius Caesar]] just before the end of his life. He was granted the title between 26 January and 15 February during the year 44 BC, shortly before his [[Assassination of Julius Caesar|assasination on 15 March]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wilson |first=Mark |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5FFDEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA310 |title=Dictator: The Evolution of the Roman Dictatorship |date=2021 |publisher=University of Michigan Press |isbn=978-0-472-12920-1 |pages=310 |language=}}</ref> By abandoning the time restrictions of the regular [[Roman dictator|Roman dictatorship]], it elevated Caesar's to a rank more akin to the ancient [[King of Rome|Roman kings]].
+'''{{Lang|la|Dictator perpetuo}}''' ([[English language|English]]: "dictator in perpetuity"), also called '''''dictator in perpetuum''''',<ref>For this title in inscriptions and texts ''cf''. the ''Fasti Capitolini'' (Rome): ..../ ''[C(aius) Iulius C(ai) f(ilius) C(ai) n(epos) Caesar in perpetuum dict(ator)] / [rei gerundae causa]''... and the ''Fasti Amiternini'' (''Amiternum''/ Poggio San Vittorino): ''...[C(aius) Iulius Ca]esar dict(ator) [in p]erpetuum/ [bellu]m civil(e) Mutine(n)se / cum M(arco) [A]ntonio...''; important is also [https://www.livius.org/li-ln/livy/periochae/periochae116.html Livy, ''Perioch.'' CXVI] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204053846/http://www.livius.org/li-ln/livy/periochae/periochae116.html |date=2018-12-04 }}: ''Caesar... Et cum plurimi maximique honores a senatu decreti essent (inter quos... dictator in perpetuum esset...)...'' For the date [http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/datesjc.html "Julius Caesar: Dates and Events"].</ref> was the office held by [[Julius Caesar]] just before the end of his life. He was granted the title between 26 January and 15 February during the year 44 BC, shortly before his [[Assassination of Julius Caesar|assassination on 15 March]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Wilson |first=Mark |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5FFDEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA310 |title=Dictator: The Evolution of the Roman Dictatorship |date=2021 |publisher=University of Michigan Press |isbn=978-0-472-12920-1 |pages=310 |language=}}</ref> By abandoning the time restrictions of the regular [[Roman dictator|Roman dictatorship]], it elevated Caesar's to a rank more akin to the ancient [[King of Rome|Roman kings]].
 == History ==

Revision as of 19:14, 2 April 2024

History

See also

References