(‘Father of the Fatherland’). The title PP was officially conferred to Roman emperors from Augustus to Theodosius. The corresponding female title mater patriae is documented for Livia [2] (cf. [1. 98]) and Iulia [12] Domna [2. 67-70; 3].
The titles parens and pater were originally bestowed to equate the role of a benefactor with that of a father. Both M. Furius [I 13] Camillus (Liv. 5,49,7: parens patriae) and Fabius [I 30] Cunctator were referred to as parentes, because they had liberated the patria from its enemies. The title parens (or respectively pater) ob civ…