Augustus Octavian Analysis

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At the inception of any empire, there is always upheaval and a degree of disrupting the “natural order.” Whether it is a revolution of the common people against the aristocracy or a dictator rising to take total control, reforming an entire system of government is neither smooth nor clean. However, when a politician sets out to change the government to their advantage, they will often masquerade as champions of the people to gain their trust and disable power amongst their competition. None pulled this off better than Augustus Octavian, the first unofficial Roman Emperor and simultaneous icon of the Republic. Shortly after his political ascent, Octavian began his quest to eventually become the most powerful person in Rome and achieved overwhelming …show more content…

Cicero, the older senator who comes into conflict with the young Octavian, embodied the core ideals of the Roman Republic. Highly influenced by Greek philosophy, he developed a moral code known as Humanitas, based around the “quality of humanity,” and emphasized generosity and honesty based on natural law.2 This fits his role as a member of the Populares, or one who supports the general public of Plebeians. Cicero believed in a pure republic, one whose goal was to serve its citizens without corruption within the government. In his own words, “He will dedicate himself unreservedly to his country, without aiming at power or influence for himself... as to further the interests of all.3” In Cicero's eyes, a perfect Roman citizen would be one who is concerned with the good of all the citizens of the Republic, and is never motivated by ambition or self-interest. When commenting on the state of politics, Cicero claimed “A most wretched custom, assuredly, is our scrambling and electioneering for office.4” This ideal of a humble politician was what put Cicero into conflict with Julius Caesar, as their ideas of how to rule the Republic diverged further as Caesar’s ambition grew. Only after Caesar’s death would Cicero meet the man who would bring his downfall and stand as his ultimate opponent: Augustus …show more content…

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

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