Anima anceps. Dynastic function and the afterlife of Hadrian in the Antonine period
November 18, 2014
On Tuesday, November 18, the ancient historian Dr. phil. Jörg Fündling from the Institute of History at RWTH Aachen University will give a lecture on the dynastic function and afterlife of Emperor Hadrian in Antonine times. The event is part of the lecture series of the Department of Ancient History at Osnabrück University and the Research Center Rome and Germania and begins at 18:00 in the Zimeliensaal of the University Library, Alte Münze 16, 49074 Osnabrück. Guests are welcome, admission is free.
In his lecture, Dr. Jörg Fündling will explore the question of how the memory of the predecessor Hadrian (117-138) was dealt with under Antoninus Pius (138-161). "The mechanisms that created continuity in the 'change of baton' between two Roman emperors are well known," said the speaker. "All the more surprising are the events following the death of the long-lived Princeps Hadrian, when the Senate initially refused to pronounce the customary recognition of the deceased as a god. At least as surprising, however, is how the memory of Hadrian was dealt with under the heir Antoninus Pius: Disparaging remarks about him were demonstrably directed at the ruling house - and met with toleration, if not approval, there." Could and did Antoninus and his adopted sons afford to distance themselves from the man to whom they owed their rule? The lecture promises to answer this question.
Dr. Jörg Fündling is one of the best experts on the Antonine period, as his numerous publications on this era show. This includes in particular his monumental commentary on the Vita Hadriani of the Historia Augusta, for which he received his doctorate in 2005 under Prof. Dr. Dr. Klaus Rosen. He was awarded the Karl Arnold Prize for this work in 2007. His volume on Marcus Aurelius in the series "Figures of Antiquity" represents another important contribution to the history of the Antonines. His other work covers the entire spectrum of antiquity, from the time of Homer and the city of Troy to the Hellenistic kingdoms and the central figures of the Roman Republic to the Huns under Attila, as well as the reception of antiquity. As part of his habilitation project, he is analyzing the late antique astrological handbook by Firmicus Maternus from the perspective of the history of mentalities.