Essay from the year 2016 in the subject History of Europe – Middle Ages, Early Modern Age, grade: 1, 3, , language: English, abstract: In this essay, I will give an account on how the Roman pope became the religious leader of the Western Empire, by historical forces and intelligent use of institutions, language and imagery.
Through historical forces, especially invasions into the Western Empire, as well as clever use of language, law and imagery the Roman pope had largely gained religious leadership of Western Roman Empire by the sixth century. It is uncertain which pope first acclaimed the title pontifex maximus and it is difficult to say by what time exactly the papacy had supreme religious authority. But the events between the fourth and sixth century are largely responsible for the status of the Roman pope, which ever since has enabled him to justifiably be called pontifex maximus.
When the Republic became the Roman Empire, it marked a change for the office of the Pontifex maximus. From 12 BC onwards, when Emperor Augustus took over the position, it was an imperial office. Now the state had religious authority and preeminent capacity to introduce religious reform. For at least the next 300 years Roman emperors would use their designation as Pontifex maximus to justify their position as the head of Roman religion. The role of the Pontifex Maximus was now to act as an intermediary between the Empire and the gods, including a variety of functions: He was responsible for the fabric of religious cults, organized rituals and temples, and had the power to issue edicts. Since the Roman Republic, though, the main function of the office had always been to guard the ius divinum (sacred law) so that the peace of the gods (pax deorum) would keep the Empire prosperous and undefeated. The papacy therefore could only claim the title pontifex maximus once it would have authority over the sacred law, which was a long way to go.
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