• 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.