Så skapades bilden av en kejsarinna Bilden av kejsarinnorna Plotina och Sabina som en del av kejsarnas maktutövning

Abstract

The official images of the empresses Plotina and Sabina were changed during the period of the adoptive emperors Trajan and Hadrian. A central focus in this thesis is how Trajan and Hadrian exercised their power by letting the pictures of their wives play an important public role. By applying Foucaults theory of power I visualize the powermaking activities made by the emperors. My investigation is also based on Yvonne Hirdmans theory of the gendersystem. The studied material consists of texts, coins and portraits and as a method for reading it I have used close reading. How did the emperors manifest the images of their power exercise and which strategies directed the public picture of the empresses? What about the importance of Plotina and Sabina in the way Trajan and Hadrian exhibited the exercise of their power as emperors? I will argue that the aim for both Trajan and Hadrian were to make the Roman people think of the image of the empress as she was a link that connected the imperial power with the idea of Rome as an ideal state. Further conclusions are that Plotina was described as the perfect Roman matrona, and the image of her as the mother of the nation. The image of Sabina was transformed over time and from being a copy of her mother she ended as a Greek goddess. The person behind Sabinas new look was Hadrian and his plans considering how to rule Rome and how to be remembered. Both Trajan and Hadrian used the images on coins and statues to emphasize the qualities of the empresses they considered benefitted their intentions.