Inscriptions as Propaganda

Inscriptions are an integral component of many monuments. They function as a bridge between the memorial and the audience by providing context about what the monument is commemorating. Many inscriptions simply provide factual information such as dates and names. However, other inscriptions go further by exhibiting a particular message. The message, determined by the commissioner, can be utilized as propaganda to justify the greatness of a particular individual, ideology, or institution. Through three points of contact, this site aims to investigate the ability of inscriptions to broadcast accomplishments and general propaganda for their respective individuals and institution .

The first point of contact is an Assyrian Relief from Bowdoin College’s Art Museum entitled “The Winged Spirit.” The work pictures the Assyrian King Assurnasirpal being anointed by a fertile gift from a winged deity. However, the inscription of interest, known as the ‘standard inscription’, covers the bottom half of the relief. Written by the King, it contains specific details describing his efforts in rebuilding the ancient city of Kalhu. The specific materials mentioned in the work demonstrates his Empire’s wealth, while the medium of the inscription indicates his desire to make his legacy withstand the tests of time.

The second point of contact is the Bowdoin War Memorial, which is located on the campus of Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine. The memorial is dedicated to the Bowdoin students who lost their lives in the World War II, Vietnam, and Korean conflicts. Within the memorial are two inscriptions, and they are quotes from prominent Bowdoin men: Joshua Chamberlain and Henry Longfellow. Unlike the Assyrian Reliefs, the contents of the inscriptions were not investigated as thoroughly; however, the decision made by the college to include quotes by these two men and how it impacts the message of the monument were analyzed instead. The choice of authors indicates the institution’s desire to be considered an important institution in the context of American history.

Finally, the last point of contact utilized to understand propaganda in inscriptions is the Mausoleum of Augustus. This mausoleum was commissioned by the first Emperor of Rome, and inside the funerary monument were two bronze tablets that contained the “Res Gestae Divi Augusti.” This autobiography, written by Augustus, includes the accomplishments of his political career. It contained specific information pertaining to the numerous temples constructed, battles he won, and titles awarded under his reign. The inscription, replicated throughout the Roman Empire, could be read by his subjects; therefore, his lists of accomplishments provided justification of his consecutive years of leadership.

Taken together these three inscriptions, obtained from monuments originating in various regions and time periods of history, are connected through a similar purpose: propaganda. All three commissioners– The Assyrian King, Bowdoin College, and Emperor Augustus– had a common goal, which was to generate a collective societal memory worthy of praise and commemoration.