Образ верховного понтифика у Валерия Максима

Abstract

The image of pontifex maximus is remarkable for some duality. On the one hand, Valerius Maximus leans on historical facts of the Classical Republic. On the other hand, examples are presented thus that they give an unexpected shade to the image of this priest. Valerius Maximus applies to the image of pontifex maximus of the classical civitas a number features, reflecting specificity of this priesthood of the period of early Empire. However it is not simple filling of the traditional form by the new contents. To the author’s mind this position can be regarded as some synthesis, according to which the deep basis of the image of pontifex maximus, going back to values of classical republic, is harmoniously supplemented with a line of characteristics (accents on independence of religious authority). Such synthesis (at the heart of which there were ideals of the republican past) reflected in many respects features of a religious and ideological situation of becoming system of Principate.