L. Junius Brutus, a model and predecessor for the emperor Augustus. Some remarks on Dionysius of Halicarnassus 4. 71–75

Abstract

Contrarily to most traditional accounts on the foundation of the Republic, Dionysius describes the passage from the Tarquins' monarchy to the Republic as a lawful constitutional reform, in which L. Junius Brutus played a pivotal role. In my paper I analyze the speech that Brutus delivers to the Roman patricians to endorse the establishment of a new government in Rome. The new constitution, although remaining essentially monarchical, will keep its autocratic nature concealed from the people. Throughout this paper, I show how Dionysius in his presentation of Brutus picked up elements both related to the senatorial propaganda against M. Junius Brutus-Caesar's murderer, who claimed descent from L. Brutus and the tyrannicide Ahala-and, at the same time, the character of Augustus's newly-founded government. This account may thus be regarded as Dionysius' own elaboration of Augustus's constitutional reform.