(Providentia Augusta) in Rome was founded in memory of such a decision. But we
can see how the original concept of providentia Augustias a quality of the emperor
expanded very fast (J.-P. Martin 1982). First the work of providence transgressed
the realm of planning the succession and was expanded to guard the emperor against
plots. And finally even the providence of the emperor for the well-being of the Roman
state became a firm element. Already in the year 31, when Seianus, the mighty
prefect of the praetorians, was overthrown, people recognized the salutary work of
imperial providence.
The inscription of an altar from Interamna in Umbria is quite revealing for this
development (CIL14.4170 =ILS157). The altar was dedicated “To the constant
imperial security and the public liberty of the Roman people” (Saluti perpetuae Augustae
libertatique publicae populi Romani) and continued “To the providence of Tiberius
Caesar Augustus, who was born for the eternity of the Roman name, after the most
pernicious enemy of the Roman people had been removed” (Providentiae Ti.
Caesaris Augusti nati ad aeternitatem Romani nominis, sublato hoste perniciosissimo
p(opuli)R(omani)). Here already the ideological identification of the well-being of
the emperor and the security of the whole Roman people has been accomplished.
At the same time the near-messianic position of the emperor who had been born to
secure the eternal dominion of the Roman people by employing his divine provid-
ence is clearly recognizable.
As the number of children in the imperial family was never very high (the excep-
tion to the rule is the marriage between emperor Marcus Aurelius and Faustina II),
each birth was of political importance. Most revealing is the birth of twin boys in
the yearad 23. They were the grandsons of the reigning emperor Tiberius, who
regarded their birth as a kind of divine blessing. This information was conveyed to
the public by coins that showed the two little boys just emerging from two cornu-
copiae. The political message was very simple: the succession of the emperor has been
secured by the birth of these two boys, and because of this the future of the empire
will be splendid.
The Emperor as a God-Sent Person
The importance of securing a smooth transition between the different imperial reigns
shows that even the emperor’s near-godlike power did not overcome the realization
that he was a mortal human being and his time on earth was limited. But even this
sorry fact did not stop the religious phantasy in developing an explanation that gave
a deeper meaning even to the death of an emperor. If people could perceive the
birth of an emperor or at least his assuming imperial responsibility as the descent of
the emperor from heaven (or, less elaborately, his being sent by the gods), the death
of the emperor could not mean the end. Therefore a widespread perception under-
stood the death of the emperor as his return to the gods – matching the model of
descent. Parallel to this model there was the more challenging interpretation that
the emperor had been a mortal being but had been endowed with extraordinary divine
powers to accomplish his work on earth. If he had been successful, his death marked314 Peter Herz