Augustus changed the course of Roman history forever. Augustus Caesar, or Octavian, was the first emperor of Rome. He was a passionate leader, and devoted himself to improving and governing the city. The Roman Empire was the Mediterranean empire that ruled most of western civilization, characterized by a government headed by emperors. The Senate of Rome still existed, but the emperor had complete control over the most important offices. The Pax Romana was a long period of peace in the Roman Empire that lasted from 31 BCE to 180 CE. Before the Pax Romana, there had been civil wars and rebellions throughout the empire. Augustus’ policies on governing Rome, administering the provinces and promoting morality helped Rome flourish as an empire for …show more content…
the next 200 years during the Pax Romana. Augustus’ governing policies helped Rome flourish as a state and remain peaceful because they included policies to strategically gain popularity among all parties, policies that did not make him seem like a power-hungry political leader and fair foreign policies.
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 …show more content…
emissaries. Augustus’ policies also helped him efficiently administer his empire because they made the people living in the provinces feel just as cared about as those in Rome. This is because he supported religion in the provinces, he built infrastructure across the empire and he was fair to them through his policies. By building temples, Augustus showed that he also wanted to support religion in the provinces as well as in Rome. In the Res Gestae, Augustus states, “In the temples of all the cities of the province of Asia, as victor, I replaced which he (Antony) with whom I fought the war had stolen after he raided the temples.” He also built new cities, each with a central forum, theaters, marble temples, public baths, columned government buildings, paved roads, aqueducts and underground sewers. This shows how he wanted to give the conquered people the same facilities and infrastructure as the natives in Rome. He also was fair to them so that they didn’t have big rebellions and revolts and cause chaos in Rome again. In the Res Gestae, Augustus states, “as victor I spared all the citizens who asked for mercy. And when foreign peoples asked for pardon, if I could do it safely. I preferred to preserve them rather than to destroy them.” This shows that he did not abuse the conquered people, but were kind to them and pardoned them if they asked for it. Augustus’ policies made sure that Rome remained a self-confident and proud city because they strived for religious revival, they made the Roman military feel strong and they ensured peace for the Romans.
Augustus built countless temples during his reign as emperor. In his Res Gestae, he states, “In 28 BCE I rebuilt eighty-two temples of the gods in the city by authority of the Senate.” This shows how much work and expense he put into supporting the Roman religion because worship had fallen off considerably. He also wanted the military to feel like they were the force of a great empire, and so he set up statues of the Princeps at all military headquarters and in most provincial towns. This was to show that Rome was a glorious city with so many model citizens, and it positively influenced both the citizens and the military to be proud of the city. He also wanted to makes sure that the Roman citizens felt safe and that they knew they were living in a secure place so that they could relax and feel confident about the city. To symbolize the end of ninety long years of civil wars, he dramatically ordered the closing of the doors of the Temple of Janus. The closing religiously symbolized that Janus no longer needed to look out for
enemies. In conclusion, if Augustus had not strived to become an emperor and make the republican government into an imperial one, Rome’s power could have dwindled and would not be seen as one of the greatest powers of Mediterranean civilization. He changed Rome into an empire, not only transforming the government, but also dramatically expanded the empire. By doing so, Augustus changed Rome politically and socially forever. Rome’s original republican government was organized into the Senate and the Assembly. This was so that nobody could become a tyrant. The Romans hated the notion of having an absolute ruler from their past experience with kings. Augustus’ move to try to gain power, though risky, was strategic, and successfully made him an emperor and changed the republican government into an imperial one ruled by him. This changed Rome politically forever, making it fit to rule the Roman Empire. He also changed Rome socially. By expanding the empire, he exposed the Romans to foreign people, therefore diversifying the Roman population. By conquering, he also brought foreign goods back to Rome, and people in provinces traded in Rome. This showed the Romans to new foreign goods that they had not seen before. This transformed Rome from a city where the entire population was Roman to a highly diversified empire.
It is also interesting to note that Augustus is never referred to as an Emperor in this text- this is the best evidence of how the Res Gestae was tailored to please the people as much as possible, as the title Emperor shows the power Augustus had too clearly- the Romans had a hatred of dictators and tyrants inspired by the Roman Kingdom. Instead of referring to himself as Emperor, Augustus uses his consulship or tribunician power for a time frame,
Augustus officially brought Rome into imperial status. Julius Caesar climbed the governmental ladder and ended up as the consul and eventually, dictator for life. When he was killed, all hope for the Roman Republic to be cured and survive was lost. By killing him, the senators ensured that the Roman Republic would either fall or continue to be corrupted. Had Julius Caesar not been killed, the Roman Republic could have been revived and cured of corruption, and the Roman Empire might never have existed.
Some of the buildings that was built under his command was the Curia, the temple of Apollo and the Lupercal. He also ordered the construction of a highway that connected Rome to its empire. Augustus was very motivated by art. He loved art so much that he even finished building the incomplete projects left by his father such as the Forum Julium and the Basilica.
In the Res Gestae, he often speaks of being offered positions of power and turning them down. He also speaks of how he donated his own money to the Roman people and building projects. However, some of his actions before he became emperor often went against that image. Augustus also chooses to omit the fact that he had immense power as emperor. Following the assassination of Julius Caesar, Augustus was named as his heir and began a rivalry with Marc Antony for power. He engaged in many deceitful acts, such as slandering Marc Antony and Cleopatra to turn the Roman people against them. In the end Marc Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. Augustus doesn’t discuss the events from this period of time in detail. Augustus wanted to be seen as humble. He often spoke of turning down positions of power that he was offered by the people and the senate. However, he chooses to omit the fact that he was given Mauis Imperium in 23 BC which gave him immense power. This gave him the power to command any official in the empire. Augustus also wanted to present the image of being well-liked and respected. In the Res Gestae, he often mentions honors and positions he was offered due to the senate and people being so impressed with his accomplishments. However, not everyone was always impressed with Augustus or liked him. He completely omits any mention of the Perusine War. The Perusine War took place in 40 BC. Aristocrats opposed
Augustus needed to legitimize his powers. He did this by handing back his powers to the senate and the people of Rome. The senate protested, and voted to give Augustus the powers of proconsul imperium over provinces that needed military defence as well as make him consul. As these powers were given by the senate and the people, they were
He wanted to relate and connect to all parts of society, including the 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 dignity and social status.
30 BC ~ Octavian was given the title of Imperator, which was used in the Eastern provinces. Imperium suggests unlimited imperium (or power) (Antiquity 2 Interpreting The Past) This was the first of many titles that were to be given to Octavian after his defeat of Mark Antony in 31 BC at the Battle of Actium. It indicates that the provinces thought Octavian was worthy of being honoured, and that the power he possessed at the time should remain his. Therefore this was the first factor that initiated the rise of Octavian.
Augustus felt the need to expand territorial boundaries in order to restore order and long-lasting security to the empire. New improvisations had been created during the civil war, and could not, therefore, be disregarded during the work of restoration. Such initiatives included a permanent army under the leadership of Augustus, with Augustus himself as chief commander. His position gave him power to rule over Rome.
Augustus created the office of emperor with the Augustan Principate, which was “to have no institutionalized authoritarian power, no perpetual dictatorship such as Julius Caesar had had himself voted early in 44, or anything like it (Stockton, 124).” Despite his wishes the people of Rome ended up giving Augustus eternal office, and powers to control the Senate with the rights to dictate agendas and veto (Stockton, 128). The people of Rome had created a position of absolute power, the exact thing Augustus was attempting to prevent. At the time the people of Rome could not have realized what they were creating in the office of emperor, for Augustus was a great man whose leadership created a great shadow over the shoulder of any future emperor.
This was necessasy, as after Julius Caesar’s death, a period of civil wars ensued, where Augustus aimed to avenge Caesar’s death and consolidate his own role as principate. After this volatile period, Augustus implemented various reforms that brought peace and ‘good government’ to provinces. Eastern citizens showed their gratitude and loyalty in “a manner appropriate to local custom” (Hennessey, 1990). Henry Burton (1912), a credible historian, describes how the East had pre-established practices of placing divine honours onto living individuals that had syncretised from Hellenistic monarchs, including Alexander the Great, and Egyptian pharaohs. Through this, heroes of Rome such as Romulus, founder of the nation, were honoured as deities and considered of divine descent. It was therefore fitting for Augustus, who had founded a new and greater Rome, be “regarded as a god and accorded the same homage” (Burton, 1912). Thus, Augustus did not need to establish the cult, rather, enhance
...4 AD, one month away from his 76th birthday. Augustus’s ultimate legacy was the peace and prosperity the empire was to enjoy for the next two centuries under the system he started. Augustus’s patience and his tact all played a part in re-establishing Rome and directing the future of the empire down many lasting paths.
As the story goes, Rome was founding in 753 B.C. by two brothers Remus and Romulus who were raised by wolves. The two brothers started fighting over the leadership of the land. Eventually Romulus killed Remus and took control own his own. The city was only a small settlement at that time. As the civilization grew, the Etruscans took over. The Romans drove out the Etruscans in 509 B.C. By this time Rome had become a city. As the empire came to its peak it included lands throughout the Mediterranean world. Rome had first expanded into other parts of Italy and neighboring places during the Roman Republic, but made wider conquests and made a strong political power for these lands. In 44 BC Gaius Julius Caesar, the Roman leader who ruled the Roman Republic as a dictator was assassinated. Rome descended into more than ten years of civil war. After years of civil war, Caesar's heir Gaius Octavius (also known as Octavian) defeated his last rivals. In 27 B.C. the Senate gave him the name Augustus, meaning the exalted or holy one. In this way Augustus established the monarchy that became known as the Roman Empire. The Roman Republic, which lasted nearly 500 years, did not exist anymore. The emperor Augustus reigned from 27 BC to AD 14 and ruled with great power. He had reestabl...
The era of the Pax Romana – though still a period of time filled with civil war and conquests in an attempt to expand the empire – was an overall period of stability for Roman society. During this time the Roman people knew their Emperor was an unwavering political powerhouse with an ability to run the Empire efficiently. In addition to having an efficient political leader, Rome had a strong military force stable enough to protect them from outside forces. The security of the Pax Romana period allowed Romans to focus on politics, culture, and technology providing them the opportunity to progress and flourish as a society.
After years of fighting and civil wars, order was finally established throughout the Roman empire during the first century AD with the rule of Augustus. Peace and prosperity followed with the reign of Augustus and with the emperors that came into control after him, and it was during this time that Roman architecture began to move away from the traditional Hellenistic and Greek influences and generate its own style.
...tablish the principate, where he established several legates to help govern the expanding empire. The system allowed the Emperor to remain in control, but also step away and allow others to take the lead if need be. Had Augustus not set this new form of government into play, Rome would have been torn apart several years before the fall of the Empire. His form of government proved strong enough to support the likes of Caligula and Tiberius, who was more concerned with his special interest museum than being Emperor.