APOTHEOSIS, in Antiquity, a Heathen Ceremony, whereby their Emperors and great Men were placed among the Gods. See GOD. After the Apotheosis, which they also called Deification and Consecration; Temples and Altars were erected to the new Deity, and Sacrifices, etc., offered to him. See DEDICATION, CONSECRATION, ALTAR, SACRIFICE, etc. It was one of the Doctrines of Pythagoras, which he had borrowed from the Chaldeans; that virtuous Persons, after their Death, were raised into the Order of the Gods. See PYTHAGOREANS. And hence the Ancients deified all the Inventors of things useful to Mankind; and those who had done any important Service to the Commonwealth. Tiberius proposed to the Roman Senate the Apotheosis of Jesus Christ, as is related by Eusebius, Tertullian, and St. Chrysostom. Juvenal, rallying on the frequent Apotheoses, introduces poor Atlas, complaining that he was ready to sink under the Burden of so many Gods as were every day added to the Heavens. See HEAVEN. Seneca ridicules the Apotheosis of Claudius with admirable Humour. Herodian, in speaking of the Apotheosis of Severus, gives us a very curious Description of the Ceremonies used in the Apotheosis of the Roman Emperors.
After the Body of the deceased Emperor, says he, had been burnt with the usual Solemnities, they placed an Image of Wax, perfectly like him, but of a sickly Aspect, on a large Bed of Ivory, covered with Cloth of Gold, in the Vestibule of the Palace. The greatest part of the Day, the Senate sat ranged on the left Side of the Bed, dressed in Robes of Mourning; the Ladies of the first Rank sitting on the right Side, in plain white Robes, without any Ornament. This lasted for seven Days successively, during which, the Physicians came from time to time to visit the Sick, always making their Report that he grew worse; till at length they published it, that he was dead.
This done, the young Senators and Roman Knights take the Bed of State upon their Shoulders, carrying it through the Via Sacra, to the old Forum, where the Magistrates were used to divest themselves of their Offices. There, they set it down between two kinds of Amphitheaters, in the one whereof are the Youth, and in the other the Maidens of the first Families in Rome, singing Hymns set to solemn Airs, in praise of the deceased. These Hymns ended, the Bed is carried out of the City into the Campus Martius, in the middle of which Place is erected a kind of square Pavilion, the Inside whereof is full of combustible Matters, and the Outside hung with Cloth of Gold, and adorned with Figures of Ivory, and various Paintings.
Over this Edifice are several others, like the first in Form and Decoration, but less; always diminishing and growing slenderer towards the Top.
On the second of these is placed the Bed of State, and a great Quantity of Aromatics, Perfumes, and odoriferous Fruits and Herbs are thrown all around; after which, the Knights make a Procession or Cavalcade in solemn Measures around the Piles.
Several Chariots also run round it, those who conduct them being clad in purple Robes, and bearing the Images of the greatest Roman Emperors and Generals.
This Ceremony ended, the new Emperor comes to the Catafalque or Pile, with a Torch in his Hand; and at the same time, fire is set to it, on all Sides; the Spices and other Combustibles kindling all at once.
While this is doing, they let fly from the Top of the Building, an Eagle, which mounting into the Air with a Fire-brand, carries the Soul of the dead Emperor along with it into Heaven, as the Romans believe; and thenceforward he is ranked among the Gods.
'Tis for this Reason, that the Medals, wherein Apotheoses are represented, have usually an Altar with Fire upon it; or however, an Eagle taking its Flight into the Air, and sometimes two Eagles.
The Word Apotheosis is derived from the Preposition ἀπό (apo) and θεός (theos), God.
