Book contents
- The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient Rome
- The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient Rome
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Translations and Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 The Temples of Castor and Pollux
- 2 The Epiphanies of the Dioscuri
- 3 The Responsibilities of Castor and Pollux
- 4 Castor and Pollux as Parallels for Imperial Heirs
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
4 - Castor and Pollux as Parallels for Imperial Heirs
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 May 2021
- The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient Rome
- The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient Rome
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Illustrations
- Translations and Abbreviations
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 The Temples of Castor and Pollux
- 2 The Epiphanies of the Dioscuri
- 3 The Responsibilities of Castor and Pollux
- 4 Castor and Pollux as Parallels for Imperial Heirs
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Castor and Pollux have come a long way since their arrival in Rome at the start of the Republic. As traced in the preceding three chapters, they were linked to the preservation of the Republic and their Forum temple was a rallying point for popular action, but they had also been connected to the elite equites equo publico and prominent generals throughout the Republic. The Dioscuri thus appealed to a broad cross-section of the Roman populace. This final aspect of their cult is therefore perhaps not such a jarring change as it first might appear. Instead, it is a return to the foundation of their divinity: their fraternal harmony. They were the best of brothers, completely devoted to each other to the extent of sharing their immortality so both could live.
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- The Cult of Castor and Pollux in Ancient RomeMyth, Ritual, and Society, pp. 145 - 193Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2021