PATER PATRIAE

'''Pater Patriae''' (plural '''Patres Patriae'''), also seen as ''Parens Patriae'', is a Latin honorific meaning "Father of the Fatherland."

Contents

Roman history

Chronological list of Roman ''Patres Patriae''

Modern Fathers of their Fatherlands

See also

Roman history

Like all official titles of the Roman Republic and Principate, the honor of being called ''pater patriae'' was conferred by the Roman Senate.
was first awarded to the great orator and senatorial statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero for his part in the suppression of the Catilinarian conspiracy during his consulate in 63 BC.
It was next awarded to Julius Caesar, who as dictator for life was sole master of the Roman (now 'crowned' all but in name) republic and its imperium.
The Senate voted the title to Caesar Augustus in 2 BC, but being neither important for the ruler's legitimacy nor for his legal powers, it did not become a regular part of the imperial honors, contrary to imperator, caesar, augustus, princeps senatus, pontifex maximus and tribunicia potestas. According to the historian Suetonius, Augustus' successor, Tiberius, was offered this title, but refused it.^[1]
The Senate eventually conferred the title on many Roman emperors, often only after many years of rule, or if the new emperor was particularly esteemed by the senators, as in the case of Nerva. As a result, many of the short-lived Emperors never received the title.
The honor was subject to the approval of the honoree, who could decline it. Suetonius notes in his work The Twelve Caesars that Nero did so when first offered the honor during the first year of his reign, on account of his youth. It was traditional for the honoree, in a proper sign of humility, to defer the honor for some time once conferred. Hadrian deferred for eleven years, for example.^[2]

Chronological list of Roman ''Patres Patriae''

:''Note that with the exceptions of Cicero and Julius Caesar, the following are all considered Roman emperors.''

★ Cicero, 63 BC (due to his role in the suppression of the Catilinarian conspiracy)

★ Julius Caesar, 45 BC (who restored the Pax Romana in the 40s BC after the civil wars)

★ Caesar Augustus, February 5, 2 BC

★ Gaius "Caligula", 37

★ Claudius, January, 42

★ Nero, 55

★ Vespasianus, 70

★ Titus, June, 79

★ Domitianus, September 14, 81

★ Nerva, September, 96

★ Trajanus, 98

★ Hadrianus, 128

★ Antoninus Pius, 139

★ Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, 166

★ Commodus, 177

★ Septimius Severus, 193

★ "Caracalla", 199

★ Macrinus, June, 217

★ "Elagabalus", July, 218

★ Gordian III, May, 238

★ Probus, July, 276

★ Diocletianus, November 20284

★ Maximianus, April 1, 286

★ Constantinus I, the Great, 307

Modern Fathers of their Fatherlands

In the case of imitation of this Roman title after Antiquity, either the original Latin term, a translation in the appropriate language or both can be used.
The analogous modern phrase "Father of the Nation" implies less of a great contribution to the ''preservation and integrity'' of a state rather than a great role in the ''founding'' of a state.
The following is a list of "Fathers of their Fatherlands" or "Fathers of the Nation" after the classical era:

★ The Genoese admiral Andrea Doria, insigned of the title by Holy Roman Emperor Charles I of Spain

★ The Florentine Renaissance ruler Cosimo de' Medici was granted the title.

★ Mohammad Ali Jinnah, officially ''Baba-e-Qaum'' literally meaning 'Father of the Nation' as recognised by the Pakistan Government.

★ Mohammed Zahir Shah is considered as the ''Father of the Nation'' in Afghanistan

★ Mohandas Gandhi is recognized as the ''Father of the Nation'' by the Indian government.

★ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is considered ''Father of the Nation'' in Bangladesh for his leadership of the countries independence movement.

★ Mustafa Kemal is given Atatürk surname by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey as a recognization of his being the ''Father of the Nation''.

★ Peter I of Russia was granted the title of Father of the Fatherland (''Отец Отечества'') in 1721 by the Senate of Russian Empire, together with the title of emperor.

★ Sun Yat-sen is officially the "Father of the Nation" (Chinese: 國父) in the Republic of China; in mainland China he is officially referred to as "Father of Modern China", but also commonly "Father of the Nation".

★ Willem van Oranje is considered as the ''Father of the Nation'' in The Netherlands.

★ Charles IV is considered as the Father of the Fatherland (''Otec vlasti'') as one of the most eminent rulers in the Czech history.

★ Josip Broz Tito was considered by the Yugoslav people as the ''Father of the Nation'' in Yugoslavia.

★ Rembrandt Peale's portrait of George Washington, which is displayed in the Old Senate Chamber in the US Capitol, identifies Washington as "Patriae Pater."

See also

★ victory title

★ Founding Fathers
1. http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Tiberius
★ .html#26
2. Birley, Anthony. "Marcus Aurelius: A Biography." Yale University Press: New Haven, CT, 1987, p. 57