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The Goddess Fortuna in Imperial Rome: Cult, Art, Text - University of ...

The Goddess Fortuna in Imperial Rome: Cult, Art, Text - University of ...

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Chapter 3: <strong>Fortuna</strong> and the late Republican dynasts: background<br />

and assessment<br />

A close exam<strong>in</strong>ation <strong>of</strong> the forces that led to <strong>Fortuna</strong>’s prom<strong>in</strong>ence dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />

the late Republic depicts a side <strong>of</strong> the goddess that constantly changed due to<br />

political and social exigencies. Simultaneously these forces exerted an image <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>Fortuna</strong> as a powerful and constant figure next to the late Republican general, for<br />

better and for worse.<br />

This chapter first addresses two important cult sites <strong>of</strong> Tyche <strong>in</strong> the Greek<br />

East (Alexandria) and the Greek West (Syracuse) so as to better expla<strong>in</strong> the<br />

transformation <strong>of</strong> <strong>Fortuna</strong> from her national identity dur<strong>in</strong>g the Republic to her<br />

role as the personal patroness <strong>of</strong> Late Republican generals. This role, and its<br />

multivalent associations, would be critical to the formulation <strong>of</strong> the new <strong>Fortuna</strong><br />

cults, <strong>Fortuna</strong> Redux and <strong>Fortuna</strong> Augusta, dur<strong>in</strong>g the reigns <strong>of</strong> Augustus and his<br />

successors.<br />

THE TYCHAION OF ALEXANDRIA<br />

<strong>The</strong> rhetorical discourse <strong>of</strong> arete and Tyche (which lead to victory) was<br />

also expressed visually <strong>in</strong> the Greek East, <strong>in</strong> the central statuary group <strong>in</strong> the<br />

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