Augustus died in AD 14, (the month that he died, Sextilis, was then changed to August). [189] However, Maria Brosius explains that Augustus used the return of the standards as propaganda symbolizing the submission of Parthia to Rome. [230], One of the most enduring institutions of Augustus was the establishment of the Praetorian Guard in 27 BC, originally a personal bodyguard unit on the battlefield that evolved into an imperial guard as well as an important political force in Rome. His maternal great-uncle Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, and Octavius was named in Caesar's will as his adopted son and heir. [190], Parthia had always posed a threat to Rome in the east, but the real battlefront was along the Rhine and Danube rivers. In the fifty years of his rule, he completely reformed the Roman Empire, and in doing so, made it so strong that the system he installed lasted for hundreds of years. [137] This was a clever ploy by Augustus; ceasing to serve as one of two annually elected consuls allowed aspiring senators a better chance to attain the consular position, while allowing Augustus to exercise wider patronage within the senatorial class. As emperor, he instituted social reforms and encouraged education, art and literature. It was the time when a capable leader carefully and cleverly molded the crumbled Republic of Rome into an Imperial form headed by one man. Fortunately, Augustus did not suffer the same fate as his adoptive father, Julius Caesar. Thus, Augustus, who is universally considered the first Roman emperor, was careful to always maintain the facade of republican rule, and did not take up any specific title to mark his rule, which began in 27 B.C. Augustus (also known as Octavian) was the first emperor of ancient Rome. In 59 BC, when he was four years old, his father died. [36][37][38] Historians usually refer to the new Caesar as Octavian during the time between his adoption and his assumption of the name Augustus in 27 BC in order to avoid confusing the dead dictator with his heir. On November 27, 43 bce, the three men were formally given a five-year dictatorial appointment as triumvirs for the reconstitution of the state (the Second Triumvirate—the first having been the informal compact between Pompey, Crassus, and Julius Caesar). [155] Although Primus was found guilty, some jurors voted to acquit, meaning that not everybody believed Augustus's testimony, an insult to the 'August One'. Force had been sparingly used—merely to preserve peace for the majority.[237]. Buy Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine Illustrated by Strauss, Barry (ISBN: 9781451668834) from Amazon's Book Store. Every Emperor of Rome adopted his name, Caesar Augustus, which gradually lost its character as a name and eventually became a title. [82], There was widespread dissatisfaction with Octavian over these settlements of his soldiers, and this encouraged many to rally at the side of Lucius Antonius, who was brother of Mark Antony and supported by a majority in the Senate. His consolidation and expansion of Roman power two thousand years ago laid the foundations, for all of Western history to follow. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The Julio-Claudian Dynasty [image:486] Augustus 16 Jan 27 BCE - 19 Aug 14 CE [image:777] Tiberius 18 Sep 14 CE - 16 Mar 37 CE [image:2400] Caligula 18 Mar 37 CE - … LANZ ROMAN EMPIRE … [20] Philippus claimed descent from Alexander the Great, and was elected consul in 56 BC. Armies, provinces, fleets, the whole system was interrelated. Raaflaub, Kurt A. and Toher, Mark (eds.). He led Rome in its transition from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire. [100], The breach between Antony and Octavian prompted a large portion of the Senators, as well as both of that year's consuls, to leave Rome and defect to Antony. In that year, Augustus arranged a system where the Senate designated three of its members as prime commissioners in charge of the water supply and to ensure that Rome's aqueducts did not fall into disrepair. [30] Mark Antony later charged that Octavian had earned his adoption by Caesar through sexual favours, though Suetonius describes Antony's accusation as political slander. 63 bc-ad 14. About 40 BCE Antony began a consequential love affair with Cleopatra, queen of Egypt. First, after Augustus relinquished the annual consulship, he was no longer in an official position to rule the state, yet his dominant position remained unchanged over his Roman, 'imperial' provinces where he was still a proconsul. Antony handed over the ships, but Octavian never sent the troops. This caused them to insist upon Augustus's participation in imperial affairs from time to time. Roman citizens were protected by the law. This was publicized on the Roman currency issued in 16 BC, after he donated vast amounts of money to the aerarium Saturni, the public treasury. Directed by Roger Young. [194], The illness of Augustus in 23 BC brought the problem of succession to the forefront of political issues and the public. [247] The highly productive agricultural land of Egypt yielded enormous revenues that were available to Augustus and his successors to pay for public works and military expeditions. [138], In the late spring Augustus suffered a severe illness, and on his supposed deathbed made arrangements that would ensure the continuation of the Principate in some form,[139] while allaying senators' suspicions of his anti-republicanism. "Augustus and the Power of Tradition", in, Gruen, Erich S. (2005). He had made many concessions to Anthony and to Lepidus for the sake of vengeance on his father's murderers. [182], Conquering the peoples of the Alps in 16 BC was another important victory for Rome, since it provided a large territorial buffer between the Roman citizens of Italy and Rome's enemies in Germania to the north. Realism and accuracy weren’t the main objective. Antony besieged him at Mutina[57] and rejected the resolutions passed by the Senate to stop the fighting. EUR 13,50. During his rule his influence on artwork and architecture illustrated a classical style, and often they was a reflection of the “public image” of his rule, as well as his “new agenda”. He is often described as the last Western Roman emperor, though some historians consider this to be Julius Nepos. At age 12 he made his debut by delivering the funeral speech for his grandmother Julia. [99], Roman troops captured the Kingdom of Armenia in 34 BC, and Antony made his son Alexander Helios the ruler of Armenia. In his capacity as princeps, selfishness and selflessness coexisted in his mind. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Augustus (also known as Octavian) was the first emperor of ancient Rome. The Senate's proposal was a ratification of Octavian's extra-constitutional power. Shortly after the Second Settlement, Agrippa was granted a five-year term of administering the eastern half of the Empire with the imperium of a proconsul and the same tribunicia potestas granted to Augustus (although not trumping Augustus's authority), his seat of governance stationed at Samos in the eastern Aegean. [246] Instead of a legate or proconsul, Augustus installed a prefect from the equestrian class to administer Egypt and maintain its lucrative seaports; this position became the highest political achievement for any equestrian besides becoming Prefect of the Praetorian Guard. Then applaud as I exit"—referring to the play-acting and regal authority that he had put on as emperor. Augustus's own experience, his patience, his tact, and his political acumen also played their parts. Updates? He also wanted to relate to and connect with the concerns of the plebs and lay people. Consequently, he took the name Gaius Julius Caesar. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. [13] He was born at Ox Head, a small property on the Palatine Hill, very close to the Roman Forum. Augustus's body was coffin-bound and cremated on a pyre close to his mausoleum. He was born under the name of Gaius Octavius. [111], Octavian pursued them and defeated their forces in Alexandria on 1 August 30 BC—after which Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. [242], Augustus's public revenue reforms had a great impact on the subsequent success of the Empire. (1999). When he had recovered, he sailed to the front, but was shipwrecked; after coming ashore with a handful of companions, he crossed hostile territory to Caesar's camp, which impressed his great-uncle considerably. Octavian sent only a tenth of those promised, however, which Antony viewed as an intentional provocation. According to … Citizens of Rome and Italy paid indirect taxes, while direct taxes were exacted from the provinces. Gaius Octavius was of a prosperous family that had long been settled at Velitrae (Velletri), southeast of Rome.