Augustus honorific: Encyclopedia II - Augustus honorific - Women of the Imperial dynasty

Augustus honorific - Women of the Imperial dynasty

Originally, the title Augusta was only exceptionally bestowed on women of the Imperial dynasties: for these women it meant a fortification of their worldly power, and a status near to divinity. There was no qualification with higher prestige.

The first woman to receive it was Livia Drusilla, by the last will of her husband Emperor Augustus (14 AD). Hence she was known as Julia Augusta. As much as Augustus was the model for all further Augustusses, Julia Augusta was the model for all further Augustas. A model that included scheming for a son to become successor to the throne, and falling in disgrace under the new Emperor if the scheming had been successful.

Agrippina minor, becoming "Augusta" under her last husband Claudius, would oblige to the model, being sent to death by her son Nero, a few years after he had become Emperor.

If Augustus as honorific could be compared to the title of Prince in moderner societies, then Augusta would not so much be Princess than rather something more exceptional like Princess Royal, deliberately given by the reigning monarch in rare cases, to a relative that received by this title prominence among other members of the royal household. Of course, it's only a partial comparison: Princess Royal was a title most often received by younger women, while Augusta was rather reserved for the aged - in this sense Augusta has something of the connotation of Queen mum too. Further, the "akin to divinity" does not really translate in any of these moderner titles or understood honorifics.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Women of the Imperial dynasty", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki