Caesar’s comet

E256658

Caesar’s comet is the bright celestial phenomenon of 44 BC that was interpreted by Romans as a sign of Julius Caesar’s deification and became a powerful political and religious symbol in the early Roman Empire.

All labels observed (3)

Label Occurrences
Comet of 44 BC 2
Caesar’s Comet 1
Caesar’s comet canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf astronomical object
comet
historical astronomical event
alsoKnownAs Comet of 44 BC
linked to: Caesar’s comet

Julian Star
Sidus Iulium
appearedAfterEvent assassination of Julius Caesar
appearedDuringReignOf no reigning emperor (late Roman Republic)
appearedInYear 44 BC
associatedWithDeity Divus Julius
linked to: Divus Iulius
associatedWithPerson Julius Caesar
category Roman political propaganda
Roman religious symbols
comets in historical records
coinIconography star above a portrait of Julius Caesar
star with rays
culturalRole political symbol in the early Roman Empire
religious symbol in the early Roman Empire
depictedOn Roman coins
era late Roman Republic
historicalSignificance earliest well-documented comet in Western historical records
influenced development of the imperial cult
interpretedAs omen
sign of Julius Caesar’s deification
linkedToCult Imperial cult of Julius Caesar
linkedToEvent Ludi Victoriae Caesaris
linkedToTitle Divus Iulius
mentionedInSource Cassius Dio’s Roman History
Pliny the Elder’s Natural History
Suetonius’s writings
linked to: Suetonius
name Caesar’s Comet
linked to: Caesar’s comet
observedBy Romans
observedFrom Rome
relatedTo Augustan ideology
Imperial cult of Rome
linked to: Roman imperial cult

Julius Caesar’s apotheosis
symbolicMeaningInRome cosmic confirmation of Caesar’s apotheosis
divine approval of Julius Caesar
symbolized Julius Caesar’s soul ascending to the heavens
timeOfAppearance after Julius Caesar’s funeral games
usedBy Octavian
linked to: Augustus
usedFor legitimizing Octavian’s political authority
usedInPropagandaBy Augustus
visibility daytime visible
visibilityDuration about seven days

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (4)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Temple of Divus Julius symbol Caesar’s comet
Caesar’s Comet name Caesar’s Comet
subject linked to: Caesar’s comet
linked to: Caesar’s comet
Caesar’s Comet alsoKnownAs Comet of 44 BC
subject linked to: Caesar’s comet
linked to: Caesar’s comet
deification of Julius Caesar associatedWith Comet of 44 BC
linked to: Caesar’s comet