The Emperor Augustus

The Emperor Augustus depicted on the Temple of Dendur at the MET

Here is the Emperor Augustus 𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋! He doesn’t look like an Emperor though – he looks like a pharaoh 𓉐𓉻! Augustus is seen wearing the Atef crown 𓋚, a false beard, a broad collar 𓅱𓋴𓐍𓎺𓋝, armlets 𓄟𓋴𓎡𓏏𓅱𓏦, and bracelets 𓂝𓏠𓆑𓂋𓏏𓇛𓏦. These are all features that are associated with Egyptian pharaohs 𓉐𓉻𓏦, even though Augustus was Roman.

In this sunken relief, Augustus 𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 is making an offering 𓊵𓏏𓊪𓏏𓏔𓏦 of Maat 𓐙𓌴𓂣𓏏𓁦 to another god 𓊹. Augustus had many temples 𓉟𓏏𓉐𓏦 constructed that adhered to Egyptian religion and culture instead of the Roman/Hellenistic ways. This was a strategy that Augustus used to legitimize himself as the ruler of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 and gain the respect 𓈙𓆑𓄅 of the local population. This particular image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 is from the Temple of Dendur, which is at the MET.

To me, what is most interesting though are the cartouches of Augustus! Unlike the Greek rulers of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖 that spelled out their names 𓂋𓈖𓏦 using phonogram symbols, Augustus went a different route when having his name 𓂋𓈖 represented in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. In this image 𓏏𓅱𓏏 you can see two 𓏻 (of his three 𓏼) cartouches:

𓄿𓏲𓏏𓈎𓂋𓏏𓂋 Augustus (Autokrator) 𓈎𓇌𓊃𓂋𓊃𓋹𓆖 Augustus (Kaisaros)

“Autokrator” is the Greek word for “Emperor,” while “Kaisaros” is the Greek word for “Caesar.”

Augustus chose to have various words for “ruler” as his name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪. Again, this was probably a way to assert his power as the first Emperor of the Roman Empire. He didn’t want anyone to question his right to rule!

A close-up of Augustus’ cartouche on the Temple of Dendur at the MET

Here is another variant of Augustus’ cartouche: 𓉐𓉻𓀀

This cartouche I have always found so fascinating because it is literally the word for pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 in Middle Egyptian plus the determinative sign 𓀀. Most names (even when spelled out with phonograms) are followed by a determinative for a male 𓀀 person or female 𓁐 person. By choosing to have his name depicted in this way, Augustus was literally calling himself the Pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 of Egypt 𓆎𓅓𓏏𓊖!

In Middle Egyptian the word for pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 literally translates to “Great House. “ this is a direct reference to the palace where the pharaoh 𓉐𓉻 resided during his/her rule.

𓉐 – House 𓉻 – Great

Augustus chose to have various synonyms for “ruler 𓋾” as his name 𓂋𓈖 in hieroglyphs 𓊹𓌃𓏪 (Emperor, Caesar, Pharaoh). Again, this was probably a way to assert his power as the first Emperor of the Roman Empire. He didn’t want anyone to question his right to rule!