Everything about Imperial Cult totally explained
An
Imperial cult is a form of
state religion in which an
emperor, or a dynasty of emperors (or rulers of another title), are
worshiped as
messiahs,
demigods or
deities. "
Cult" here's used to mean "worship," not in the modern pejorative sense. The cult may be one of
personality in the case of a newly arisen
Euhemerus figure or one of national identity (for example Ethiopia or Japan) or supranational identity in the case of a multi-ethnic state (for example China, Rome).
Historical
Ancient China
In
ancient China, an
emperor was considered the
Son of Heaven. The
scion and representative of heaven on earth, he was the ruler of
all under heaven, the bearer of the
Mandate of Heaven, his commands considered sacred edicts. A number of legendary figures preceding the proper
imperial age of China also hold the honorific title of emperor, such as the
Yellow Emperor and the
Jade Emperor.
Ancient Egypt
The
Ancient Egyptian male Pharaohs were believed to be incarnations of the god
Horus, derived by being the son of the sun deity,
Hathor (or later, Isis), or the sky deity,
Nut. Pharaohs, both female and male, traced their lineage directly through the
matrilineality of the royal women. Some women who were Pharaoh, such as
Hatshepsut, went to great lengths to trace their lineage to the most ancient of goddesses, such as
Mut. Egyptian Pharaohs were considered deified only upon their death.
Ancient Rome
In the
Roman Empire the
Imperial cult was the worship of the
Roman emperor as a god. This practice began at the start of the Empire under
Augustus, and became a prominent element of
Roman religion.
The cult spread over the whole Empire within a few decades, more strongly in the east than in the west. It was gradually abandoned when the emperor
Constantine I started supporting
Christianity.
Japan
Before the end of
World War II, the
Japanese Emperor made similar claims to deity; see:
- Shinto - general article about Japan's religion.
- Arahitogami - the concept of a god who is a human being applied to Emperor Hirohito, up till the end of World War II.
- Ningen-sengen, the declaration with which Emperor Hirohito, on New Year's Day 1946, (formally) declined claims of divinity, keeping with traditional family values as expressed in the Shinto religion.
Fictional
Science fiction and games
In the novel
Dune by
Frank Herbert,
Paul Atreides rises to power among the native
Fremen of the planet
Arrakis (Dune), who call him "
Muad'Dib" and worship him as a Prophet, a Messiah, and even a God. By gaining exclusive control of the single most valuable resource in the Imperium —
melange — Paul subverts
Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV and becomes Emperor of the Known Universe, cementing his position. Paul's son
Leto Atreides II is later worshipped as a deity to an even greater level, thanks to his transformation into a human/
sandworm hybrid, which grants him further superhuman powers and longevity — his reign lasts over 3,500 years and only ends with his self-planned assassination. The Fremen elders are convinced he's the unique Supreme God Himself. Both father and son also possess powerful (though flawed)
prescience.
In the game
Warhammer 40,000, the
Emperor of Mankind is worshipped as a god by quadrillions of his subjects, though he clearly states that he doesn't wish to be worshipped ("I want warriors, not worshippers").
Imperial cult appears in a fictional
Empire of Tamriel from
The Elder Scrolls games, which has much resemblance to the historical Roman Empire. In Tamriel, Imperial Cult is an organization worshipping the
Nine Divines, one of whom is
Talos, the first Emperor of the Septim dynasty and founder of
The Third Empire of Tamriel.
Fictionalized History
The cable television series
Rome dramatizes the origins of the Roman Imperial cult.
Robert Graves depicts the early decay of the Roman Imperial cult through most of its
first dynasty from the high point of Augustus' reign until the accession of Nero in his work
I, Claudius.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Imperial Cult'.
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