Rome, Roman EmpireAncient
12Augustus Becomes Pontifex Maximus
Emperor and high priest become one
Emperor Augustus was named Pontifex Maximus, the highest religious office in Rome, merging sacred and secular authority in a single person. By incorporating the position into the imperial title, Augustus ensured that future emperors would control not just the armies and treasury of Rome, but its spiritual life as well. This fusion of religious and political power would endure for centuries, shaping the relationship between church and state throughout Western history.
12 BC
