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Notes On Augustus

Augustus was born in 63 BC and was adopted as heir by Julius Caesar. After Caesar's assassination, Augustus formed a triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus to avenge Caesar's death. Augustus defeated Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, becoming the sole ruler of Rome. He established a period of peace and prosperity, taking power gradually to avoid the title of dictator or king. Though he made the government appear republican, Augustus centralized authority under himself as Rome's first emperor.

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232 views

Notes On Augustus

Augustus was born in 63 BC and was adopted as heir by Julius Caesar. After Caesar's assassination, Augustus formed a triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus to avenge Caesar's death. Augustus defeated Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, becoming the sole ruler of Rome. He established a period of peace and prosperity, taking power gradually to avoid the title of dictator or king. Though he made the government appear republican, Augustus centralized authority under himself as Rome's first emperor.

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jeremy_o_clair
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© © All Rights Reserved
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• Augustus was born in September of 63 BC.

• He was the son of Gaius Octavius, a successful politician.


• His father was the first in his family to achieve prominence in Rome.

The Early Years


• At the time, Rome was in the chaos of civil war in the 2nd and 1st centuries BC.
• Aristocratic politicians exploited the division in society among the people.
• At the end of 45 BC, Julius Caesar became the victor from the struggle of civil wars over the
last four years.
• At that time, the young Octavian was impressed by Julius Caesar.
• Caesar decided to take Octavian on his campaign against the Persians.
• Caesar also included Octavian in his will as heir and adopted son.
• After Caesar was assassinated, the veterans and soldiers of Caesar were committed to support
Octavian when he returned to Rome to claim his inheritance.
• Octavian wanted to take the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian (it was Roman custom to take
the father’s name).
• But Octavian learned the situation was complicated.
• There were supporters who were led by Brutus and Cassius, the assassins of Caesar.
• There was also a split among Caesar’s supports whether Marc Antony should take Caesar’s
position.
• At first, Octavian seemed to be leader for the group against Antony.
• The Senate declared war on Antony in 43 BC.
• Two battles were fought around Mutina in northern Italy.
• Antony was defeated and became commander of a powerful force.
• In the summer of 43 BC, Octavian agreed to create a triumvirate with Antony and Marcus
Lepidus.
• Triumvirate: a three-manned power over the state.
• They agreed to form to avenge Caesar’s death.
• After the assassination of Julius Caesar by the Senate (committed at the Theater of Pompey) in
44 BC, Octavian and Mark Antony resolved to hunt down Caesar’s assassins.
• Earlier, Octavian, the grandnephew of Caesar, was adopted as Caesar’s heir.
• The assassins were mainly led by Brutus and Cassius.
• The triumvirs put out a proscription—a list of names of those sentenced to death.
• This action was remembered as the bloodiest act of political terrorism in Roman history.
• The triumvirs finally defeated Brutus and Cassius in November 42 BC at Philippi (northern
Greece).
• After the battle, Octavian return to take charge of Italy.
• Antony took charge in the east (Egypt, Judea, etc.).
• The empire was then divided into three parts:
• East: Antony
• Africa: Lepidus
• Italy: Octavian
• In 40 BC, Antony married Octavian’s sister, Octavia, to seal a treaty, but it later was broken.
• The next few years were difficult for Octavian.
• 38-36 BC, Octavian fought a naval campaign against Sextus Pompey.
• Sextus controlled the seas around Italy.
• Octavian defeated Sextus thanks to his close friend Marcus Agrippa.
• Octavian rose as the central power in the Roman west.
• In 36 BC, Antony divorced Octavia and later married Cleopatra, queen of Egypt.
• In 33 BC, relations between Antony and Octavian reached a crisis point.
• In 32 BC, Octavian forced the Senate to declare war on Antony.
• Octavian basically took the role of a dictator.
• On September 2, 31 BC, Octavian’s fleet, under Agrippa’s command, crushed Antony and
Cleopatra at Actium off the coast of Greece.
• In 30 BC, Octavian successfully annexed Egypt to the Roman empire.
• Antony and Cleopatra then committed suicide.
• To honor his achievements of victory, the Roman Senate gave Octavian the name “Augustus”
(“revered one,” “one worthy of honor”) in 27 BC.

Augustus, part 2

• For many years there had been a dislike in Rome for any kind of monarchy (king) or a dictator.
• Julius Caesar supported a monarchy-like rule and he didn’t respect the traditional government:
these things led to his assassination.
• From about 32-28 BC, Octavian assumed the power of dux (“leader”), avoiding the title
“dictator” because Caesar had that title in his last years.
• At the age of 33, Octavian became the sole ruler of the Roman world.
• January of 27 BC, the Senate gave Octavian the title of Augustus (“revered”).
• This new name symbolized a break from the violent past and for a new era of peace.
• During his rule, Augustus was clever with manipulation, building alliances, and selecting his
commanders for Rome’s armies.
• Augustus was skilled with propaganda: he promoted peace and security and wanted to restore
the Republic.
• Augustus was a successful emperor, ruling over 40 years.
• The Senate later renamed the month of Augustus’ birth, Sextilis, after him (August).
• After so many years of chaos in Italy, Augustus wanted a return to the rule of law.
• Some want to give him the title imperator (“emperor”) but he preferred the title princeps (“first
citizen”).
• This new phase in Rome’s history is called the Principate.
• Augustus knew how important it was to have the Senate support him. This was vital for his
control of the Roman world.
• Augustus believed he could use his authority in meeting with the Senate to determine many
matters. He “consulted” them constantly.
• Augustus claimed that he “replaced the State in the hands of the Senate and Roman people”
(SPQR).
• But really he did the opposite.
• While he made it look like a reborn republic, Augustus took all the power into his hand and
imperial staff.
• In 23 BC, Augustus became very ill but recovered. He decided then to take on more authority.
• He kept the provinces and his imperium (power).
• His imperium was made “greater” (maius) by the Senate: imperium was now greater than all
other officials.
• Augustus and his staff controlled all decisions.
• Another step Augustus made was to take further power without office: the power of tribune
(tribunica potestas).
• By this, Augustus was able to renew his power every year until his death. This was so starting in
23 BC.
• Augustus’ special “power of tribune” was made to look like he was the protector of ordinary
citizens.
• In 22 BC, the people didn’t want Augustus to lose his top office and they feared that they were
losing the “greatest benefactor” of the people.
• The people refused to elect any one else other than Augustus.
• In 19 BC, the Senate granted Augustus the office of consul.
• In 12 BC, Augustus took on the title pontifex maximus (high priest), one that was supposed to be
held for life.
• The Senate also granted Augustus the title Pater Patriae (Father of his Country), a title for life.
• Augustus put his staff to work.
• Some of them went into military service and later served in the provinces.
• Others served in the Roman government and ended up as senior officials.
• Although it was difficult to control in the Republic, Augustus wanted to reform the army.
• The Roman army’s main purpose was to guard the frontiers (the provinces).
• The army made up about 250,000 Roman citizens. The emperor was the general-in-chief.
• Soldiers did more than just fight.
• Some were engineers who built roads and bridges.
• Some grew crops and harvested them.
• Others policed the countryside.
• Soldiers won widespread respect and gratitude from Rome’s provinces.
The Empire expanded economically: it had army protection and civil service.
• There was freedom to travel and to trade.
• Goods were circulated with no tariffs or customs duties.
• Roads increased travelers, traders, officials, students, wandering philosophers, couriers, etc.,
between great urban centers.
• Cities like Alexandria and Antioch were self-governing, mostly, based on the Roman model.
• The imperial system Augustus established was to last for nearly 500 years.
• Not all later emperors were as successful as Augustus.
• Caligula, Nero, and some others became notorious as monsters.

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