Empress and Goddess: lulio-Claudian Women in the Imperial Cult

Abstract

<p>The worship of a mortal has long been an intriguing topic among scholars, The Roman imperial cult, which centered on the veneration of the emperor, exemplifies this phenomenon and its study has resulted in thousands of articles that attempt to explain the institution. Despite the vast amount of scholarly research regarding the imperial cult, few examine an important aspect of the cult: women, The emperor was not the only individual to receive the honours which are associated with the cult Although the role of women in the imperial cult is frequently overlooked, it is an essential aspect of the cult This thesis will examine the role of women in the cult of the emperor, specifically that of the Julio-Claudian women, The study of these women is particularly valuable as they were the first women to be included in the imperial cult. An examination of ancient and modern sources, comprising physical and literary evidence, reveals that there are three identifiable roles for women in the cult They were included as members of the imperial family, priestesses, and goddesses, Through a detailed analysis of these roles, the underlying impetus for the inclusion of J u1io-Claudian women in the imperial cult may be elucidated,</p>