The Ara Pacis Augustae: Visual Rhetoric in Augustus' Principate
Author:
Kathleen Lamp - Kathleen Lamp is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Communication, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 702 S. Wright St., 244 Lincoln Hall, MC-456, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. E-mail: lamp@uiuc.edua
| Affiliation: | a Department of Communication, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA |
DOI:
10.1080/02773940802356624
Publication Frequency:
4 issues per year
Subjects:
Communication Studies;
Language & Communication;
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Abstract
Scholars of rhetoric have veered away from non-traditional rhetorical artifacts in the classical period. In this article I examine the Ara Pacis Augustae, Altar of Augustan Peace, as one such overlooked rhetorical artifact. I argue the altar, although constructed as a war monument, shapes public memory to persuade the people of Rome to accept the dynastic succession of Augustus's heir. In addition, I show a variety of rhetorical theories operate on the altar in visual form including amplification, imitation, and enthymeme. Ultimately I contend that by focusing on non-traditional rhetorical artifacts, we can deepen our understanding of the rhetorical tradition in a period in which rhetoric is generally believed to have faded away.
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