Der Leichnam des Princeps zwischen Consecratio und Damnatio

Resumen

This paper traces the changes memorial culture went through in Roman Imperial times (from 44BC-AD337). Since Augustus, Roman emperors displayed and legitimised their own claim to power and rulership by either affirming (i.e. divinisation) or damning (damnatio) the memoria of their predecessor. In this process, the importance of the bioplitical component, must be stressed. As the imperial funerals provided one of the first public appearances of the new emperaro, they were of primary importance. Traian introduced a form of funeral in which the funus publicum of a former ruler was combined with his apotheosis - with the new emperor, and him alone, in charge of both acts of state. In the case of damned emperors, their body was of lesser importance, though sometimes subjected to dishonouring post-mortem punishment. Interestingly, it was possible to reverse the course of a damnatio and performa a consecration afterwards (i.e. after another candidate ascended to the throne), whereas consecrated emperors were exempt from all further criticism.