Propaganda In The Aeneid

Propaganda supporting a revisionist version of history utilized immediately following major conflict has seen mixed success in its acceptance by the masses. Commissioned by Augustus Cesar and written by Virgil in 29 BC, the Aeneid was a masterpiece of latin literature and imperialist propaganda. After a two year period encompassing a brutal civil war, Virgil’s almighty and pious portrayal of Aeneas subtly parallels the vision that Augustus wanted to project of himself upon the people of Rome. The victorious Augustus had an altogether different agenda in implementing revisionist propaganda than the defeated American Confederacy. The Lost Cause of the Confederacy is an idealogical movement that seeks to illustrate the Confederacy as a nation

Antony sent word of his donations to the Roman Senate, win the hope that the Senate would agree with his actions, but again understandably, they did not. Upon the Senate’s reception of Antony’s actions in Egypt, Octavian’s base of power was threatened. Octavian’s political position was granted by his link to Julius Caesar through adoption. Caesarion was the true son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, and Octavian saw him as a legitimate threat as an heir to Caesar’s name. Octavian increased his propaganda campaign against Antony at this point, finding more favor from those in the Senate who abhorred Antony’s actions. Octavian finally saw his chance to seize power from Antony in 32 BC when Antony married Cleopatra before he divorced Octavian’s sister,

Though it would be in 29 BC that Octavian commissioned the poet Virgil to write the Aeneid (Propertius). The Aeneid is a latin epic poem describing the journey of Aeneas, who fled from the Acheans during the sack of Troy to found the civilization which would eventually become Rome. It becomes clear in the Aeneid that Virgil is relating the heroic deeds of Aeneas with the triumphs of Augustus. even Aeneas’ shield depicts the victory of Octavian over Mark Antony in the battle at Aticum, which wouldn’t occur for more than a millennium after the generally accepted date of the Sack of Troy in 1250 BC (Aeneid). The end of the Roman Republic and the dawn of the Roman Empire saw many Roman’s faith in the superiority of Rome