Augustus and the Ara Pacis: Rome's Altar of Peace

This episode examines the Ara Pacis Augustae, the Altar of Augustan Peace, completed in 9 BCE. Lucas and Luna unpack the altar's commission by the Roman Senate to honor Augustus's return from Gaul and Hispania, its location on the Campus Martius, and its intricate marble reliefs. They discuss the processional friezes featuring Augustus, Agrippa, and imperial family members—including controversial figures like Julia and Gaius Caesar—and the mythological panels of Aeneas and Romulus that weave Augustan ideology into Rome's foundation story. They also touch on the altar's rediscovery in the 16th century, its excavation under Mussolini, and the modern museum housing it today. The conversation ties the Ara Pacis to the broader theme of Pax Romana and Augustus's reshaping of Roman religion and public art. #AraPacis #Augustus #PaxRomana #RomanArt #AltarOfPeace #CampusMartius #JuliaAugusta #Agrippa #Aeneas #Romulus #Mussolini #AugustanIdeology #RomanSenate #Livia #GaiusCaesar #LuciusCaesar #AncientRome #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo