Pater Patriae (plural Patres Patriae) was an honorific title in ancient Rome. In Latin, it means "father of the country", or more literally, "father of the fatherland".

The title was granted by the Roman Senate. During the Roman Republic, it was given only two times: to Camillus and Cicero. Under the Roman Empire, it was exclusively granted to the Roman emperor, usually after many years of successful rule. Not all emperors were offered the title, while others were offered it but refused to accept. A total of 23 emperors received the title.

During the early modern and late modern periods, the same Latin title was granted to several national leaders by their subjects or parliaments. More recently, the equivalent title has been father of the nation, translated into the national language.

Roman history

The honor of being called pater patriae was conferred by the Roman Senate. It was first awarded to Roman general Marcus Furius Camillus in 386 BC, for his role in liberating the city after the Gallic sack of Rome. It reflected the popular view that Camillus was effectively a second founder of the city, after Romulus, who was retrospectively considered to be pater patriae.

Three centuries later, it was awarded to the orator and statesman Marcus Tullius Cicero, for his part in the suppression of the Catilinarian conspiracy in 63 BC. A similar title, Parens Patriae, of similar but lesser connotation, was awarded to Julius Caesar, who had become de facto ruler of Rome as perpetual dictator. Caesar had packed the Senate with his own supporters, who voted him the title in 45 BC for having ended the civil wars that he had started himself. ^[1] The Roman republic was replaced by the Roman empire in 27 BC, and thereafter the title was exclusively held by the emperor. The first emperor, Augustus, was not awarded the title until 2 BC, after several decades of peaceful rule. The title was therefore not considered necessary for the legitimacy of succeeding emperors. Nor did it convey any legal powers. As such, it did not become a regular part of the imperial honors that were routinely conferred on a new emperor.^[i]

The title could be declined. According to the historian Suetonius, Augustus' successor Tiberius was offered this title, but refused it as premature and inappropriate.^[2] The following emperor, Caligula, did accept the title, as did his successor Claudius. The next emperor, Nero, declined when it was offered by the Senate during the first year of his reign, on the basis that he was too young for such a title. The Senate offered it again the following year, which Nero accepted.

It thereafter became usual for the Senate to convey the title on emperors only after many years of successful rule. As a result, many emperors with short reigns never received the title. In some cases (such as Nerva) it was granted rapidly, if the new emperor was particularly esteemed by the senators when they acceded. As a sign of humility, several emperors deferred their use of the title for some time even after it was conferred by the Senate. For example, Hadrian deferred it for eleven years.^[3]

The title fell out of use in the fourth century AD, during the Christianisation of the empire. The last emperor known to have used the title was Julian, who was also the last pagan emperor.

Chronological list of holders

Later use by other countries

The Latin honorific was later used for several national leaders during the early modern period and late modern period. It was awarded by national parliaments or loyal subjects to: George Washington, the first President of the United States; King Gustav I of Sweden; the Dutch Stadtholder William of Orange; Pedro II, the last Emperor of Brazil; and the four leaders of Italian unification: Camillo Cavour, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Giuseppe Mazzini and King Victor Emmanuel II.

The Latin title has since fallen into disuse, being replaced by the title father of the nation translated into each the relevant national language.