Roman theology of victory
The Roman theology of victory also referred to as Jovian theology is a concept that considered victory as a legitimator of a political power or a claimant's divine right to rule. It is invoked to support a political authority in the case of the failure or absence of traditional institutions.
Origin
According to J. Rufus Fears, the theology of victory originated in the ancient Mediterranean world. There are sources that specifically consider it of Graeco-Roman origin. It was fundamental, for instance, in establishing Hellenistic monarchs such as Alexander the Great.The concept was inherited during the third century by the Romans, who modified the concept their own way. The theology of victory, thereafter, became associated with Rome with the way it was developed and embedded into the Roman imperial policy. Innovations were introduced beginning in Augustus' reign so that it was widely embraced by the time Commodus became the emperor.
In Rome, the logic of the concept emphasized how felicitas is granted to the victor, who demonstrated virtus or courage, manliness, and aggression. During the republican period, this virtue was equivalent to human characteristics such as "bravery", "manliness", and "valor". When Rome eased into the Principate, however, the felicitas connoted divine gift and formed part of the imperial theology of victory. The idea is that earthly authority depended on heavenly accord. It was the basis of the view that pax Romana mirrored pax deum.
Theology
The theology of victory was used to legitimize political power once the traditional ways of sanctioning political power failed. Its efficacy drew from divine foundation since victory was considered an epiphany of the goddess Victoria. It held that successful conquest indicated a projection of supernatural gifts, legitimizing both sovereignty and divine status.The theology operates on the basis of felicitas. Gods granted this good fortune or luck to those who demonstrated virtus in battle so that those who won in the conflict were perceived to have been granted excessive virtus. This meant that their victory manifested the god's choice of one potential ruling power or figure over another.
Jupiter was a key figure to the Roman theology of victory. He was associated with the "religio-magical aspects of warfare, battle, and victory". His authority was the basis of military prowess and articulated in the tradition that all victory stemmed from Jupiter's providence. Using this propaganda cemented that stature of new emperor's such as Diocletian, particularly, among a restive Roman military and in an empire fresh from a bruising civil conflict. Coins commemorating Domitian also represented him as Jupiter's vice-regent on earth. He was depicted being crowned by Victoria while holding Jupiter's thunderbolt in his right hand.