Robert L. Mowery, «Son of God in Roman Imperial Titles and Matthew», Vol. 83 (2002) 100-110

The christological formula qeou= ui(o/j, which appears in the NT only in three Matthean passages (14,33; 27,43.54), exactly parallels the two-word Roman imperial son of god formula found in the titulature of Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, Titus, and Domitian. This formula occurred more widely in first century imperial titulature than has previously been reported; in addition, various three-word imperial son of god formulas also deserve notice. The Matthean formula qeou= ui(o/j would have evoked Roman imperial usage for at least some members of Matthew’s community.

lifetime²³, and he was declared a divus in Rome after his death²⁴. His adopted son Nero could therefore call himself ‘son of god Claudius’.

        An emphasis on the divine sonship of the emperor reappeared during the reign of Nero (54-68 CE). Several inscriptions have both the formula qeou= Klaudi/ou ui(o/j which calls Nero the son of the god Claudius and the formula qeou= Sebastou= a)po/gonoj/e!ggonoj which traces his lineage back to the god Augustus²⁵. The two-word formula qeou= ui(o/j occurs in three Athenian inscriptions, including one which was prominently displayed on the east architrave of the Parthenon²⁶. This formula also apparently appears on two issues of tetradrachmas struck in Antioch²⁷. While Nero was hailed as a god by various Greek sources²⁸, he was compelled to commit suicide. His death marked the end of the Julio-Claudian line, and no emperor claimed to be a son of the god Nero.

        Vespasian, who ruled during 69-79 CE, was the first of the Flavians. He was neither the biological son nor the adopted son of any divinized predecessor, and his documents do not assert such a claim. But an Egyptian papyrus hailed him as a god at the beginning of his reign²⁹, and the same papyrus may have called him  ^!Ammwnoj ui(o/j³⁰. Other Greek sources also honor him as a divinity³¹, and he was designated a divus in Rome after his death. His sons Titus and Domitian could therefore each claim to be ‘son of god Vespasian’.