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Gestae

Gestae is a Latin term meaning "deeds" or "acts" and appears in the titles of several historical and biographical works. The best-known use is Res Gestae Divi Augusti, usually translated as The Deeds of the Divine Augustus, an autobiographical inscription attributed to Emperor Augustus. Composed near the end of his life (around 14 CE) and inscribed on bronze tablets, the text outlines his official positions, public works, religious acts, and military accomplishments. It is a key primary source for the early Roman Empire and has been preserved in multiple copies across the Roman world; its variations and arrangements have been used by scholars to interpret Augustan policy and propaganda.

The formula gestae also appears in other medieval Latin chronicles, where it functions as a generic title

In modern scholarship, "Gestae" is sometimes used in discussions of Latin historiography to denote collections that

meaning
"the
deeds"
of
a
ruler
or
people.
Notable
examples
include
Gesta
Danorum
(The
Deeds
of
the
Danes)
by
Saxo
Grammaticus,
a
12th-century
work
on
Danish
history,
and
Gesta
Francorum
(The
Deeds
of
the
Franks),
an
early
Crusade
chronicle
from
around
the
11th
century.
Other
titles
such
as
Gesta
Hibernorum
et
Scotorum
(The
Deeds
of
the
Irish
and
Scots)
likewise
employ
the
word
to
introduce
compendia
of
deeds.
compile
acts
or
exploits,
and
as
part
of
the
standard
Latin
phrase
Res
Gestae,
used
in
both
historical
discourse
and
as
a
formal
title.
The
term
thus
signifies
acts,
achievements,
and
commemorated
deeds
across
ancient
and
medieval
sources.