This week there has been a flurry of activity in the forum, including posts in two threads on the topic of the famous Roman letters SPQR. Here is what veteran forum user Aulus has to say on the matter:
Truth be told, we really do not absolutely know what the acronym SPQR stood for. The most common interpretation is Senatus Populusque Romanus, but it could equally be Senatus Populusque Romae or a few other combinations which I cannot recall right now, but are rather tenuous.Do you have more information/questions on SPQR? Please post in the forum thread.In fact, the acronym SPQR, as far as I have been able to find it, does not seem to pre-date the reign of Augustus, either in inscriptions or in coinage. My opinion, and that of others, is that it was a bit of Augustan propaganda and a smoke screen for the reality of the establishment of the Principate, much like Augustus' line about "restoring" the republic.
It would be lovely if this could become a weekly feature, but that will only happen if people actively use the Ancient/Classical History Forum to post their questions about ancient history, literature, and mythology. Please do so. If you forget the forum URL, it's on the pages of this site with my photo where it is simply called "my forum".
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