Divi filius
Divi filius is a Latin phrase meaning "son of a god", and one man wore it more proudly than anyone else: the emperor Augustus. He was the grand-nephew of Julius Caesar, and he made a political weapon out of that family tie. How does a living Roman come to call himself the child of a deity? Who had to approve the idea before it could be said aloud? And what could a title like this actually win for the man who carried it?
On the 15th of March 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated. Nearly two years later, on the 1st of January 42 BC, the Roman Senate formally recognised him as a divinity. The conspirators who had killed him were still at large, because the Second Triumvirate had not yet won its final victory over them. Caesar was now called Divus Iulius, which means "the divine Julius". His adopted son, Octavian, took the next step. He styled himself Divi filius, meaning "son of the deified one, son of the god". A longer version of the title also circulated: divi Iuli filius, "son of the divine Julius". That fuller form named the father outright, leaving no doubt about whose son Octavian claimed to be.
A title only works if people see it, and Octavian made sure they did. He displayed divi filius on the coins that he issued. Coins passed through the hands of ordinary people and soldiers, so the claim travelled far beyond the Senate house. The source describes the title as "a useful propaganda tool" for him. Octavian used it to advance his political position, and he finally overcame all rivals for power within the Roman state. By the time he is known as Augustus, the phrase had done its work, and it stayed with him as a title he used often.
Augustus was not the last Roman emperor to be treated as a god. Some of the emperors who came after him were deified once they had died. The title Divi Filius was also applied to some of his successors, and the source names three of them: Tiberius, Nero and Domitian. A phrase that began as one young man's answer to a murdered father thus became a feature of imperial rule. It is a reminder that the claim of divine family began with Caesar's Senate vote in 42 BC.
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Common questions
What does Divi filius mean?
Divi filius is a Latin phrase meaning "son of a god". It was a title much used by the emperor Augustus.
Who used the title Divi filius?
Augustus, the grand-nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar, used the title most. It was also applied to some of his successors, notably Tiberius, Nero and Domitian.
When was Julius Caesar recognised as a god, leading to the title Divi filius?
The Roman Senate recognised Julius Caesar as a divinity on the 1st of January 42 BC. He was assassinated on the 15th of March 44 BC, nearly two years earlier.
Why did Octavian use the title Divi filius?
Octavian used divi filius to advance his political position. The source calls it "a useful propaganda tool", and he eventually overcame all rivals for power within the Roman state.
Where was the title Divi filius displayed?
Octavian displayed divi filius on the coins that he issued. This put the claim of descent from the divine Julius in front of ordinary people.
What is the fuller form of the Divi filius title?
The fuller form is divi Iuli filius, meaning "son of the divine Julius". Caesar himself was called Divus Iulius, "the divine Julius".
All sources
6 references cited across the entry
- 1BookThe Roman RevolutionRonald Syme — Oxford University Press — 2002