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Subject: search.filters.subject.430305 Classical Greek and Roman history

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    Building a dynasty : the familial politics of Augustus, 44 BC – AD 14 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2025) McRae, Tayla Ashlee
    The first princeps, Augustus, used a range of strategic familial tools to consolidate his power and create a dynasty which would rule the Roman Empire until AD 68. He orchestrated a series of marriages that strengthened his own family unit with the hopes of children with powerful ancestry and lineage. Adoption was another vital tool, as it legally gave Augustus sons to whom he could pass on his wealth, power, and legacy. This was a tool with which he was very familiar, having been adopted posthumously by his great-uncle, Julius Caesar, which significantly advanced his political standing. He also ensured that men from within the domus Augusta were given significant political and military roles which ensured that Augustus’ influence throughout the Empire was widespread. This thesis explores these methods used by Augustus to solidify and strengthen his unprecedented levels of power and examines the roles of key figures from within the family – such as Livia, Octavia, Julia, Agrippa, Tiberius, and Gaius and Lucius Caesar – who were central to the princeps’ dynastic plans. By intertwining personal familial relationships with political strategy, Augustus not only secured his own position but also set a precedent for the dynastic nature of Roman imperial rule.
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    The social and political implications of expressing atheistic thought in Ancient Greece and the early Roman Empire, and why these implications changed over time : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History at Massey University, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2023) Pegler, Grant Campbell
    Atheistic thought is as old as known records exist. It is not surprising that over thousands of years, many people – we will never know the actual number, relative to population – have had doubts about the religious doctrines that were presented to them by their society, and to which they were expected to strictly adhere. However, until recent times, relatively few people have felt sufficiently free to express their heretical doubts, either orally or in writing. The aims of this thesis are threefold. Firstly, to analyse the development of atheistic thought in Ancient Greece and the early Roman Empire. Secondly, to investigate the social and political implications of expressing such atheistic thought. And thirdly, to determine the reasons for the different outcomes which occurred as a result of these implications. To achieve these aims, relevant philosophers and philosophical movements concerning this period have been investigated, with the use of both primary and secondary sources. The period under analysis starts in the time of the Greek philosopher/scientist Thales (born c.624 BCE). It also includes other pre-Socratic philosophers, Socrates himself, and the effect of the later deification of rulers. The study continues up until the time of the Christianisation of the Roman Empire by virtue of the Edict of Constantine in 313 CE – a total period of almost one thousand years. The research has demonstrated that religion and politics were always inextricably intertwined during this long period, regardless of place or time. It also demonstrated that the implications for expressing atheistic thought varied greatly over time; however, the implications always depended on the political will of the ruling class at the time, whether this was an oligarchy, a monarchy, or a democracy. The political will of the ruling class maintained a close correlation with the religious belief and religious practice of the populace. Certainly, other religious cults were frequently tolerated, however any denial of the power or existence of the gods of the State was often treated with great severity. But the degree of this severity was always in the hands of the ruling political class.
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    The trip of a lifetime : journeying to the afterlife in ancient Greece : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History with a Classical Topic at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2019) Chalklen, Rose Miriam Lisa
    Though there has been much scholarship on various aspects of death and the afterlife in ancient Greece, there has been little attempt to view the evidence in the context of the afterlife journey as a composite whole. This thesis aims to present a comprehensive study on different aspects of ancient Greek eschatology in the context of the afterlife journey, in order to reconstruct the process of the transition. This is achieved by investigating the eschatological themes and motifs which are reflected in ancient Greek literature, iconography, and archaeological remains. The text is loosely structured on a traveller’s ‘guide’, which consists of three basic stages of the afterlife journey: preparation, transit, and arrival. Chapter One outlines the actions undertaken in preparation for the soul’s journey to the afterlife, primarily regarding the performance of proper burial rites, which were imagined in early times to directly affect the soul’s incorporation into Hades, but by the Classical period were no longer necessary for entry into the afterlife. Still, certain practices, such as the provision of grave goods, did facilitate the soul’s journey to a certain extent. Chapter Two examines how the soul’s transit from the upper to the lower world was imagined, either through flight or by foot, along with the help of mythological guides. Evidence also shows that the soul was imagined to reach the underworld by travelling to the horizon in the west, after which it was required to cross a body of water. Chapter Three explores the different afterlife destinations for the dead and their criteria for admission. Sources suggest that places of reward and punishment for ordinary souls in the afterlife emerge during the late Archaic and early Classical periods, but became more clearly established during the Classical period. Also assessed are the challenges and hazards which the soul encounters after it has arrived in the underworld, which ultimately functioned to determine the final destiny of the soul. Analysis of the primary sources shows that there was a development of afterlife beliefs during the Archaic period which led to a more complex and elaborate portrayal of the afterlife journey than what had previously been described by Homer.