| Keywords |
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| ID |
2172 |
| Text |
Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX (622 - 633) Isidore of Seville |
| Quotation |
Imperatorum autem nomen apud Romanos eorum tantum prius fuit apud quos summa rei
militaris consisteret, et ideo imperatores dicti ab imperando exercitui: sed dum diu duces titulis
imperatoriis fungerentur, senatus censuit ut Augusti Caesaris hoc tantum nomen esset, eo que is
distingueretur a ceteris gentium regibus; quod et sequentes Caesares hactenus usurpauerunt.
Solet enim fieri ut primi regis nomen etiam reliqui possideant, sicut apud Albanos ex Siluii nomine
omnes reges Albanorum Siluii appellati sunt; sicut apud Persas Arsacidae: apud Aegyptios Ptolomei;
apud Athenienses Cecropidae.
Augustus ideo apud Romanos nomen imperii est, eo quod olim augerent rempublicam
amplificando. |
| Translation |
14 . For the Romans, the title imperator was at first given only to those on whom supremacy in military affairs was settled, and therefore the imperatores were so called from ‘commanding’ ( imperare ) the army. But although generals held command for a long time with the title of imperator , the senate decreed that this was the name of Augustus Caesar only, and he would be distinguished by this title from other ‘kings’ of nations. To this day the successive Caesars have employed this title. 15 . Indeed it is customary for later kings to use the name of the first one, as among the Albans all the kings of the Albans are called Silvii after the name of Sylvius; similarly for the Persians the Arsacidae, for the Egyptians the Ptolemies, for the Athenians the Cecropidae. 16 . For the Romans, ‘Augustus’ is the name of the imperial office, because formerly the emperors ‘enlarged’ ( augere ) the republic by extending its borders. (Trans. Barney, Lewis, Beach and Berghof, p. 200) |
| Quotation source |
ix.3.14-16 |
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| Comment |
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