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Rome in the age of Augustus
Contributions of augustus in the history of ancient rome
Essay on augustus
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Philosopher A: Augustus saved the republic.
Philosopher B: Saved it? He turned it into an empire! Augustus ruined the republic.
Philosopher A: In the Republic, the Senate was the primary branch of the Roman government and held the majority of the political power. It controlled funds, administration and foreign policy, and had significant influence of the everyday life of the Roman people. When Augustus came to power, he kept the Senate and they retained their legal position. The Emperor’s rule was legitimized by the senate as he needed the senators experience to serve as administrators, diplomats and generals. Although technically the most authoritative individual in Rome, Augustus strived to embody Republican values. He wanted to relate and connect to all parts of society including Plebeians. Through generosity and less extravagance, Augustus achieved a connection with the common people.
Philosopher B: After the fall of the Roman Republic in 27BC, the fundamental power shifted from the Senate to Augustus, the Emperor. However, Augustus knew that to keep the favour of the Roman people, he needed to keep up the façade of the Senate holding political power. Despite this, the Senate held no actual political power, although individuals still sought membership of the senate for dignitas and social status. During the reigns of the first Emperors, legislative, judicial, and electoral powers were all transferred from the Roman assemblies to the Senate. However, since the Senate was filled with individuals whom Augustus approved of, it acted only as a vehicle through which the Emperor exercised his autocratic powers.
In the Empire, the Emperor had complete jurisdiction over all policies and decisions. In the beginnings of the empire, h...
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...gustus. (n.d.). The Internet Classics Archive | The Deeds of the Divine Augustus by Augustus. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://classics.mit.edu/Augustus/deeds.html
The Senate - Ancient Rome for Kids. (n.d.). The Senate - Ancient Rome for Kids. Retrieved March 25, 2014, from http://rome.mrdonn.org/senate.html
The Timeline of the Life of Octavian, Caesar Augustus. (n.d.). The Timeline of the Life of Octavian, Caesar Augustus. Retrieved March 27, 2014, from http://applet-magic.com/caesaraugustus.htm
 Virgil:Aeneid VI. (n.d.). Virgil:Aeneid VI. Retrieved March 27, 2014, from http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/VirgilAeneidVI.htm#_Toc2242941 • The Official Truth – Propoganda in the Roman Empire . (n.d.). BBC News. Retrieved March 28, 2014, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/romanpropaganda_article_01.shtml
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...ion this all showed that style of governing and ruling an empire started a century long pattern of events that eventually lead to the fall and destruction of the old oligarchy led by the Senate. The combination of desire for personal gain and glory of a politician or general was what weakened the Roman customs and the Senate. This was a cycle among the Senate, to find themselves stuck in a problem and to find others to fix with of course military means but in turn make everything more corrupt with their disruptive practices such as Pompey and Julius Caesar. But they were not the only ones there were others who were to blame for causing such decay and corruption such as Marius, Sulla, Gaius and Tiberius Gracchus. They were the ones who kept this corruption cycle going and it was Augustus Caesar who finally broke the cycle and brought stability and order back to Rome.
The Roman Senate and constitution was built upon the notion of ancestry. One was to do things just as the past Romans did. There was little respect for free thinkers who wished to start their own path in Roman history. Romans were filled with so much pride for their past and founding that they simply never wanted to deviate. This principle was known as mos maiorum, the unwritten code from which the ancient Romans derived their social norms (slides). However, there were people that wanted change, some Romans believed in reform and spreading the power amongst all levels, not just the senate. These people were soon labeled the populares. The populares were aristocratic leaders in the late Roman Republic who relied on places other than the head of the senate, such as the tribunes to acquire political power. The populares addressed the problems of the plebs, particularly subsidizing a grain, and in general favored limiting slavery, since slavery took jobs from poor free citizens. They also gained political support by attempts to expa...
Antony Kamm ~ The Romans: An Introduction Second Edition, Published in 2008, pages 47, 93
Res Gestae is a bibliographical source written from the point of view of Augustus during his reign as Emperor of the Roman Empire. It was used as a way of remembering and glorifying his rule, and it is therefore important to remember that there is heavy bias towards the greatness of Augustus throughout the entire piece. It is written in the first person, which greater emphasizes exactly how much the Res Gestae was used as a piece of propaganda, as it emphasizes the personal contribution of Augustus to each donation he
The Roman Republic is highly praised for its innovation, influence and expansion. In a period of expansion, there was a setting of constitutional precedent for the future late Republic and Roman Empire. The Roman Republic can also be viewed from the perspective of internal balances of power. That being said, although the Republic was not a full democracy, as stated by Polybius, it did provide some political power to the people. Although the Roman people played a significant role in politics and had some power, said power was limited through checks of the Senate and Consul, and most positions of power were very concentrated in the hands of Patricians and aristocrats. The powers that all citizens inherently possessed did however play a significant
In 509 B.C. the Romans declared themselves a republic, free from rule of the Etruscan kings. (“The Rise of…”) From that point on, the Roman’s form of government would never include the title of “king”, in fear that a single person would gain absolute power. The republic included a dictator (in emergencies), the senate, two consuls, and several other positions. (Bishop) Although the goal of creating a republic was to have a government that represented the wishes of its people, the Roman senate consisted of men of wealth or power, leaving most of the plebeians, or common people, out of the picture. Many of the emperors’ policies strengthened the power of the government, and therefore weakened the power of the plebeians. By the end of Sulla’s rule in 78 B.C., grain prices had risen substantially and there was large gap between the rich and poor. (“The Rise of…”) When Julius Caesar took power, he initiated several reforms that were much needed at the time. Caesar spent large volumes of money on entertaining the citizens, while expanding citizenship to people of conquered lands and lessening the power of the senate. His policies threatened the method of income of senators and around 60 senators, in the name of saving the republic, murdered Julius Caesar at a senate hearing in 44 B.C. Civil war then erupted in Rome and lasted over a decade. At the end of the blood brawl, it was Octavian who emerged victorious; he would be the first Roman Emperor and would be known as Augustus. (Morey) Although the “Liberators” (Julius Caesar’s assassins), might not have realized it, the day that Julius Caesar died was the same day that the republic died; t...
He claimed that he had transferred the Republic from his own power to that of the authority of the Senate. Because of this gesture the Senate adored him. They honored him. The people saw him as the restorer of peace and the Republic. When all along his goal was to hide his real power and legalize it. The historian Tacticus wrote, “He took on himself the functions of the Senate, the magistrates, and the laws”. Augustus did not derive his power from his titles or positions. He derived his power from his army’s loyalty and his ability to eliminate rivals. (Page
Rather than creating a government that was primarily a democracy like the Athenians, an aristocracy or a monarchy, the Roman constitution mixed these three elements, therefore creating three separate branches of government. The executives served as monarchical element, the Senate as the aristocratic and finally, the Assembly as the democratic element. A complex set of checks and balances existed between these three branches. The Executive branch enforced the law, and presided over the Senate and the legislative assemblies. They had supreme civil and military authority and held office for one year, then entered the Senate for life unless impeached. The Senate was a collection of citizens who served as the legislative branch of the government as well as an advisory body. Lastly, there was the Assembly of Tribes, which contained all citizens. Romans believed that authority comes from the people and the people 's consent is necessary, therefore, the Assembly was responsible for approved or rejected laws, decided issues of war and peace, and elected executive magistrates. Besides check and balance and separation of powers, many other concepts from Roman republicanism shaped American constitutionalism. The power to veto and filibusters, the practice of term limit, impeachment, and regularly scheduled elections were all included in the Roman’s unwritten
Augustus wanted to turn the republican government in Rome into an imperial government controlled by an emperor. This would be a difficult change to make, as the Romans did not want to be ruled by a tyrant. Therefore, he had to gain support from all groups. In the Res Gestae, Augustus writes, “I paid each Roman plebeian 300 sesterces from my inheritance… I bought grain with my own money and distributed twelve rations a piece.” This shows how he tried to gain support from the working class citizens. He also had to be extra careful not to seem like a tyrant, so he resigned from all offices to show his supposed lack of political ambition after he gained some power. To ensure there was no more chaos in Rome, Augustus was kind to foreign countries so that they did not declare war on the Romans. He did so through his foreign policy. In his Res Gestae, he states, “Representatives from the kings of India were often sent to me… and kings from many other lands along our borders sought our friendship by sending
That being said, he argues that the people have an important role to play in said government (Polybius 6.14). Although the people do not make decisions such as presenting bills, ordering allies as they please, or convening assemblies as the consul, who has the most power in the system, does (Polybius 6.12), they have other such important duties. According to Polybius, said duties include assigning office, such as voting on consuls, deciding penalties for offences, assessing legislation, voting on war proposals, as well as “ratify or abrogate alliances, truces and treaties” (Polybius 6.14). He also states that the Senate must act in the best interest of the people and cannot disregard the popular assembly, as they can vote to deprive the Senate of authority, and that the tribune of the people, who is obliged to always carry out the people’s decision, can veto the senate (Polybius 6.16). After reading this, one may assume that the people had a strong role in Rome and that the strongest element of the government is democracy given the responsibility held on the people. People had the right to hold assembly and vote, something seen as a building block of democracy, but in fact the people had very less power in
The Fall of the Republic was more than a solitary man or occasion. It was a perfection of a few individual activities or accomplishments, combined with social conditions that weighed vigorously on Roman culture. Furthermore, gigantic and quick development from Rome 's establishment as a juvenile city 700 years prior until the mid first century BC, made fantastic openings in the political and administering capacity of the Senate. Times of security were blended in with those of close fall while effective commanders or inciters of the Roman horde maneuver for position. Starting with the Punic Wars and Roman success outside of Italy, trailed by huge importation of slaves, the substance of Roman life was changing much more quickly than the administering
The people of Rome had lived as a republic for a long time and gave security to their freedom, however with what the people had experience and gained because of Julius Caesar and Augustus this might’ve changed. According to Suetonius who was the secretary to Emperor Hadrian that after the overthrow of Antony Augustus asked Agrippa a Roman consul, statesman, general and architect and Maecenas the political advisor to Augustus about restoring the republican with Agrippa in favour and Maecenas against. Suetonius says that Augustus at first sided with restoring the republican but then decides to usurp himself the entire dominion of the state. He mentions that as a result of the civil war and public calamities that the people were becoming less averse to the idea of an absolute government and that whilst the republican had flourished that it was incompatible with the state of Rome at the time (Suetonius). Although Suetonius was born a while after Augustus because of his position he would have had access to good information though some of it might be unreliable however he is very open on the idea between a republican or absolute government looking at both sides and the circumstance of Rome. Because of the changing views of the people and the circumstances of Rome, Augustus was able to obtain power as the emperor of Rome during the first
Much like the US, the Roman Republic had three branches of government: the Consuls, the Senate, and the Assemblies. The Roman government had three elements, each of them possessing independent powers. The Consuls were the “supreme leaders” of the government, and they were the wealthy magistrates of Rome. The Senate proposed laws, just as the Senate in the US government does. Now the part left to the people, the Assemblies. The people could vote for who got into the Assemblies, where they had the final say in the making of a law. This clearly shows how similar the Roman Republic’s government is to the US’s, each of them elements having checks and balances and the people choosing who
His successor was approved by the Senate and his line of succession was secured without the impotent Senate ever posing a real threat. Though Augustus filled all the criteria for a perfect Roman citizen in theory, his actual motivations were based on ambition and furthering his personal goals. Cicero and all the other senators saw, in Augustus, a future lead by the antithesis of all that they believed in. The rise of Augustus, and by extension the rise of the Roman Empire, shows that how a person presents themselves and what their actual intentions are, can be vastly
3)Gwynn, David M. The Roman Republic: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2012. Print.