Augustus: The First Roman Emperor and His Rule

Few people get months named after them, but Augustus is one of them, which means you've probably spoken his name even if you've never heard of him. Although he was generally hailed as a competent and benevolent ruler, his reign, like the coins bearing his likeness, had two sides. So, was Augustus really one of Rome's most successful and beloved rulers, or was his PR so good that we're still seeing its effects today? Augustus was born in September 63 BCE as Gaius Octavius. As the great nephew of Julius Caesar, he was already part of a powerful and prosperous family. While there are rumours that Julius Caesar fathered Cleopatra's child, there was only one offspring that Julius acknowledged, and that was his daughter with his first wife. As he had no legitimate sons, Julius took the young Octavius under his wing. When Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BCE, Octavius, who then became known as Octavian, discovered that the late Caesar had adopted him and made him his heir. While this didn't necessarily mean that Octavian would gain the political power of his great-uncle, Octavian made sure that it was clear to the Roman Senate that that was exactly what would happen. But it wasn't going to be easy. After all, not only were there Caesar's assassins to contend with, but the dictator's faithful counsel as well, Marcus Antonius, better known as Mark Antony. But although the two did not get along, they realized the bigger issue at hand was punishing those who had murdered Caesar. In November 43 BCE, Octavian, Mark Antony, and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus were appointed as triumvirs, three public officers jointly responsible for overseeing the administration of Rome. The three men quickly rounded up anyone who might challenge them and executed them, including Antony's enemy and Octavian's would-be manipulator, Cicero, a senator. The second triumvirate wasn't meant to last, though. It had accomplished its goal. Octavian and Antony began fighting each other. In 38 BCE, Octavian married Livia Drusilla, the wife of Tiberius Claudius Nero, who chose to fight with Mark Antony instead of Octavian. The exact circumstances of this marriage are uncertain. However, Livia was from an influential family and was generally acknowledged as a model of old-fashioned respectability. Livia already had one son and was pregnant with her second son when she married Octavian. Livia's sons were initially sent to live with their father, while Octavian and Livia raised Octavian's one-year-old daughter, Julia, from his previous marriage. It wasn't until around 34 BCE that the balance of power began to swing in Octavian's favor. Octavian had enlisted a former schoolmate, Marcus Agrippa, as commander of his fleet. Agrippa was a brilliant military strategist and began winning many victories in Octavian's name. His reliance on Agrippa was noted by Mark Antony, who once said of Octavian, "...he lay on his back, never rising to show that he was alive until Marcus Agrippa had routed his enemy." Nevertheless, Octavian worked tirelessly on his public image, and it was working. When Octavian and Antony had been political allies, Antony married Octavian's sister, Octavia. But as time passed, Antony either realized this match would never gain him victory in Rome or fell in love with someone else. Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, could provide Antony with men and ships. Many scholars believe the two were in love with each other. Cleopatra was determined to keep Egypt independent from Rome, and Antony thought that by combining his forces with hers, he could defeat Octavian and claim Rome for himself. Antony promoted the supposed son of Caesar and Cleopatra as the rightful heir to the Roman Empire. This plan backfired spectacularly, as public opinion soon turned against him. The Senate sided with Octavian, and Rome declared war on Cleopatra, culminating with the Battle of Actium, which was won by Octavian's forces, largely due to the military strategies of Agrippa. Octavian returned to Rome a hero, finally receiving the ultimate power he craved. But he learned from the mistakes of his great-uncle, realizing that an outright power grab may result in opposition or his assassination. Octavian officially announced that his rule would harken back to the Republic ideals, although it was clear that no one could challenge his power or the loyalty of his troops. However, as Octavian represented stability and lawfulness, the people of Rome were happy to keep up the charade. In 27 BCE, Octavian took the name Augustus Caesar. After years of civil wars and conflict, Italy was at peace with itself. However, Augustus was not content to leave all the conquering in the past. He conducted many military operations, defeating numerous tribes in Europe. From 27 to 24 BCE, Augustus traveled with his legions throughout Europe. When he returned to Rome, he was rewarded by being made exempt from any laws, and granted the allowance that young men in his family could stand for office before the usual age. Outwardly, Augustus' reign had the complete support of the Senate, but there were some internal issues. Around 23 BCE, Augustus fell ill and it was presumed he would not recover. On his deathbed, he gave his ring to his old school friend Agrippa, which was taken to signify that Augustus had named him an heir. This act was seen as evidence of a monarchic rule. The same year, Augustus intervened in the trial of Marcus Primus, and condemned the accused, despite many in his inner circle defending Primus. Primus claimed that he was told to campaign outside his jurisdiction by Augustus, or Augustus' young son-in-law, Marcellus. If Marcellus had issued the order, it would be apparent that Augustus intended to pass his position on to a personal heir rather than a political one, thus proving Rome was a monarchy rather than a republic. Augustus personally attended the trial to deny that any order was made, and Primus was condemned, despite many present, including members of the jury, believing the defendant over the emperor. Augustus resigned his councilship. This move appeased the other politicians by freeing up the position but also allowed him to rise above the limitations of administrative power. He had been awarded the lifetime power of a tribune, which was the title of an elected official in Rome, and this title was used to maintain Augustus' democratic facade. Perhaps fearing what would happen if he fell ill again, Augustus ensured Agrippa was secure in his position and gave him superiority over the governors of Rome to keep his loyal legions from falling under anyone else's command. Agrippa was officially made part of the family in 21 BCE when he married Augustus' daughter. Julia had been widowed two years prior when her young husband had suddenly died, and she and Agrippa went on to have five children together. Agrippa was incredibly successful in his military campaigns. In 18 BCE, Augustus gave Agrippa almost the same power as tribune that he possessed. Despite Augustus' clear lust for absolute power, he did do a lot of good for Rome. He was able to restore effective government throughout Italy and reorganized Roman life. Augustus passed laws that encouraged marital stability by regulating penalties for adultery and renewed old Italian religious practices with the secular games, an ancient ritual that Augustus resurrected and promoted to reinvigorate Rome's old religions and exonerate Roman citizens for the sins of the past. Augustus also expanded the network of Roman roads and created several public services, such as a postal service, a police force, and a fire brigade. He even personally received petitions and resolved issues that had festered under the previous administration. Augustus established a senate committee and made public positions more accessible to freedmen and members of the cavalry. This move marked the beginnings of a civil service, the likes of which had never been seen before. He also had a marked impact on the financial well-being of Rome. The taxes Augustus imposed were high enough to support the new political changes and infrastructure, but low enough to allow merchants to profit. Augustus also expanded Roman coinage, making more coins which helped trade flourish in the newly stable Roman Empire. True to his nature, Augustus was by no means modest about his accomplishments, stating that he found Rome brick and left it marble. While still playing the part of a democratic leader, Augustus' mind turned to succession. In its 17 BCE, he adopted the sons of He also began to give his step-sons military responsibilities, with the pair extending Italy's borders across the Alps to the Upper Danube. In 12 BCE, Augustus suffered the loss of his lifelong friend Agrippa. With this influence gone, the Roman Empress Livia began to convince Augustus to favor her sons over his own grandsons. The next year, Augustus tried to by instructing Livia's eldest son, Tiberius, to divorce his wife and marry Julia. This unison was not a happy match, but Tiberius continued to be a loyal commander for his stepfather and father-in-law. In 6 BCE, Tiberius and Julia's young son died, but Tiberius was rewarded for his loyalty with a portion of Augustus' tribunician power. However, for unknown reasons, Tiberius went to a self-imposed exile instead of taking a seat next to his stepfather. Some speculate that this was due to the attention lavished on Gaius Caesar, the eldest son of Julia and Agrippa. With Tiberius gone, Julia began enjoying her time as a single woman. Soon, gossip of her promiscuousness reached the emperor, including a rumor that she was having an affair with This news horrified Augustus, and in 2 BCE, despite Julia being publicly beloved, Augustus exiled her, calling her a disease in my flesh. Four years after banishing his own daughter, Augustus suffered another blow. His adopted son and grandson, Gaius Caesar, died from wounds received in battle. Many believe that Gaius was being primed to be Augustus' successor. After hearing the news of Gaius' death, Tiberius returned to Rome. In 4 CE, Augustus officially adopted Tiberius, much to the delight of Livia. While working with Tiberius, Augustus created the Fire Brigade, which doubled as a police force, and started a military treasury to support retired soldiers. Tiberius was clearly the new favorite and was given powers equal to Augustus. On Augustus' death, all masquerade of democracy was dropped when Tiberius succeeded Augustus and became the second emperor of Rome. The legacy of Augustus is a complex one. While it is undeniable that he was proficient in administration, it is also unmistakable that ruthless ambition drove him. Some speculate that his victories were really the achievements of others that were attributed to him, such as his military victories that came at the hands of Agrippa. However, he cultivated loyalty in his followers and cleverly manipulated the democratic systems. So, his monarchic rule was undiscovered until it was too late. How would you like to get a deeper understanding of history? Impress your friends and predict the future more accurately based on past events? If this sounds like something you might be into, then check out the brand new Captivating History Book Club by clicking the first link in the description. To learn more about Augustus, check out our book, Augustus, A Captivating Guide to the First Emperor of Rome and How He Ruled the Roman Empire. It's available as an e-book, paperback, and audiobook. If you enjoyed the video, please hit the like button and subscribe for more videos like this.