Augustus Ceasar

Augustus Ceasar

Two of the most destructive problems facing the late Roman Republic were

the instability and disunity caused by incessant civil wars. Rome's rapid

expansion, after the Punic Wars, resulted in socioeconomic changes that

permanently divided the state. Both aristocratic and plebeian parties sought

total control of Rome and tried to destroy each other. Civil war was the

continuation of party politics by other means. Consequently, the power of the

military became supreme. Control of Rome's armies steadily shifted away from

the legitimate government to the generals because the soldiers began to give their

allegiance to their generals rather than to the civil authorities. On dismissal

from military service, the legionnaires had no farms to return to, and they

depended entirely on whatever land and money their generals could provide since

the government was unwilling or unable to supply veterans with livelihoods.

Thus, the generals became autonomous centers of power. The general who

dominated the strongest army ruled the state. Repeated power struggles of

these military strongmen ignited more civil wars that further undermined the

stability and unity of the late Roman Republic.

Augustus saw how divisive to the Roman polity civil war was. He understood

that control of the legions by the civil government was necessary for the

establishment of peace and order throughout the Roman Empire. He wanted to

reorganize and institute changes in the military to assure that it would not rise

again in support of some triumphant general to challenge the legitimacy of the

state. Since warfare within the Empire was eliminated, the role of the

legions changed. Its main objectives consisted in protecting the borders from

foreign foes and pacifying conquered lands through the gradual introduction of

the Roman language, law, administration, and engineering. Augustus' priority was

to reduce the number of the legions from 60 to 28, settling in the process more

than 100,000 veterans in colonies in Italy, Africa, Asia, and Syria. While

proscription financed previous resettlement efforts, the vast wealth of Egypt,

which he seized after Antony's defeat, subsidized Augustus' massive

resettlement program. He raised the troops' salary and regularized the payment

of pensions, which consisted of land and money, to veterans. Augustus, thus,

reduced the old threat of soldiers giving their allegiance to wealthy generals

rather than to the state. He also standardized the length of military service.

The Roman legion became a professional, long service force with an esprit de

corp that earlier legions did not have. Each legion was commanded by an officer