L’armée romaine et le culte impérial

Abstract

Being a special means of expression of loyalty to the princeps, the imperial cult played a central role in the religious life of the Roman army between the 1st and the 3rd centuries AD. Its manifestations were very diverse. Thus, the soldier had to take an oath, a practice inherited form the Republic. New ceremonies were introduced since the beginning of the principate. They were intended to honour the living and the deified emperors. For instance the emperors’ birthdays were celebrated by sacrifices and supplications. The emperor took as well care of spreading his portrait by the means of busts or statues. Finally, officers and soldiers could honour individually or collectively the divine manifestations of the emperor (genius, numen) or call divine protection for him or his house.

Keywords

• imperial cult
• Roman army
• military ceremonies
• religious dedications
• oath
• imperial images