How Did Augustus Remodel The City Of Rome

Augustus was emperor of the Roman Empire from 27 BC to 14 AD. Nearing the end of his reign he declared in his autobiographical statements, the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, how he had ‘found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble’ . An astonishing feat that was literally accomplished through the widespread use of white (Luna) marble for building virtually all public monuments. Additionally along with commissioning new temples Augustus repaired and rebuilt numerous ones, erected statues city wide of his family, and imported an Egyptian obelisk to Rome. In collaboration with Marcus Agrippa and other noblemen establishments were constructed that were to ease life for Roman citizens such as aqueducts, harbours, theatres etc. All these structural

Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44BC before most of his public works could be executed. Naturally as his heir, Augustus, ‘inherited his campaigns and uncompleted buildings; a factor that moulded the early stages of Augustan architecture’ . Augustus with help from Marcus Agrippa brought to life his predecessor’s projects. Projects such as a stationary voting enclosure (Saepta), the Theatre of Marcellus, the Senate House (Curia), a remodelled Forum Romanum; two basilicas in the forum, the Campus Martius and the Rostra. Additionally the Forum of Caesar started by its namesake was completed by Augustus in 29BC. Ward-Perkins (1982) contends that Augustus ‘understood the importance of his brilliant predecessor’s programme and that it was his sober genius that made him put it into practice’ , however I want to argue that it was rather a desire to establish continuity. Julius Caesar had been an ambitious leader under whom Rome had flourished. Augustus recognising that sought out to align himself with Caesar’s favourable legacy especially during the early precarious years that he (Augustus) was ruler. This could have been so he could win easier the public’s favour. Hence why he completed all of Caesar’s programmes and thereby remodelled the face of the

He erected monuments and public buildings all over the republic out of the need to convey ideals about himself and his family. These monuments and public buildings would be draped with works of art that portrayed the emperor in the most positive light possible. A particular example would be historical reliefs- sculpture carved or modelled against a background- Stewart (1971) defines them as ‘artistic posters’ that implicitly express imperial ideals. For example the Ara Pacis Augustae is a marble altar intricately bedecked with reliefs that are in accordance with Augustan values. One side of the altar depicts the emperor, his family, the senate and citizens in a sacrificial ritual and around another side are panels linked to war and peace, scenes from historical Roman myths and underneath an exuberant display of scenes of nature. The purpose of this edifice may be to put across a message of unification of the imperial family, the senate and the citizens. Augustus is presenting to his citizens the image of a unified Rome where no one held absolute power, understandable given the Romans distrust of kingships, but that it was a republic nation held together by the will of the