genius Augusti
Quick Summary
In Roman religion, the genius was an attendant spirit of a person or place. Initially, the genius of the housefather and the iuno of the housemother were worshiped as the embodiment of the family's power to reproduce and continue itself. The genius was often depicted as a snake or a young man making an offering. Over time, influenced by Greek ideas of guardian spirits, the genius evolved to represent an individual's desires and appetites, and eventually became seen as a higher self or guardian angel, worshipped on one's birthday.1
The genius Augusti, the life spirit of Augustus and his family, became an object of popular cult, serving as a focus of loyalty for the diverse Roman Empire. This practice helped avoid direct emperor worship, which was sensitive in Italy. Various other genii existed, including those of places (genius loci) and corporations, such as the state (genius populi Romani).21
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