On the 23rd of September 63BC a baby boy was born. Little did his family know that this amazing child was going to be one of the greatest politicians in Rome, he was also going to touch the lives of many Roman Citizens and to be remembered by thousands of people many years after his death. He was to rule an empire that stretched from Spain to Judea. Turn the Mediterranean Sea into a peaceful Roman Lake and was eventually to be worshipped as a god. The future Emperor of Rome was called Gaius Julius Octavious, whom we all know now as Augustus.
In this section I will be analysing how Octavian/Augustus rose to become the first Emperor of Rome and his reign thereafter. I will also be looking at how he gained his position and what being and what being an Emperor meant back then politically and it’s relation to war.
Octavious used many different ways to become Emperor one of them however, he had little control over. This was his family. His only evident advantage in life is that his grandmother is Julia, sister of Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar saw great talent in the boy and encouraged Octavian by offering him a military position at the young age of 16. However what Julius Caesar probably didn’t know was that be teaching Octavian these skills he would now have the correct skills to help him rise to becoming the first emperor of Rome. At the age of four Octavian’s father passed away and even though he was still very young, this event left a large impact on his life. Octavian was a very bright boy and never ceased to amaze people he possessed a quality that not many leaders of the time had – grace. At the ripe age of 15 he was appointed the role of Pontifex. However, this was just the beginning. Octavian served under Julius Caesar (h...
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...n’s weakest link, Cleopatra and Antony sailed for Egypt and the remainder of Antony’s forces surrendered after just a week of interrogation
Octavian returned to Italy to pay his soldiers and settle them on land and then in 30BC he invaded Egypt and on August the 1st Alexandria Surrendered. Both Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. After further reorganisation of the eastern provinces, Octavian arrived home to Rome in 29BC, having secured the following Sole rule of the Roman world, Personal ownership of Egypt, the closing of the Temple of Janus in Rome on January the 11th 29BC, as a symbol of restored peace and a triple triumph on 13, 14 and 15 August for his victories in Illyricum, at Actium and in Egypt.
Works Cited
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=aa09#ixzz0ojkPWpKc
Year 13 NCEA Classical Studies Study Guide
Wikipedia
Octavian, or Caesar Augustus, was an effective ruler, implementing reforms that positively affected virtually all areas of life throughout the Empire. Social, economic, and political tensions that had led to so much violence in earlier years were calmed by Augustus's policies. Corruption and abuses of the people were also given attention by the Emperor. The borders of the Roman Empire grew dramatically under Augustus's rule, adding material wealth and manpower to Rome's already significant resources.
Augustus was born in Rome on September 23, 63 B.C. He was originally named Gaius Octavianus, but when his great-uncle, Julius Caesar, was murdered, he took his name. Augustus’ real father died when his son was only four. Augustus was adopted in Julius Caesar’s will and was left to be his heir at the age of eighteen. Caesar was very fond of his grand-nephew and he sent him to the College of Pontifices at the age of sixteen. When Caesar was assassinated, Augustus was in Illyria, where he was sent to serve. It was only when he returned to Italy that he learned he was his great-uncle’s heir.
After years of fun with his wife lepidus tried to take over octavius’s power in the west. Lepidus wasn't strong enough so octavius forced him into retirement. Octavious launched a campaign with religious publicity because it was about the original gods of order. Octavian changed changed his name to suggest he was commander it was now called emperor. Other than being the emperor he was the master of the roman greco world and he was also father of spain for a while.
Gaius Julius Caesar, born 100 B.C.E. in Rome to the impoverished patrician Julian Clan, knew controversy at an early age. Nephew to Populare Gaius Marius, he was earmarked by the Optimate dictator Sulla for prosciption after his refusal to divorce his Populare wife, Cinna. Fleeing Rome, and not returning until after Sulla’s resignation in 78 B.C.E, upon his return he gained a position as a pontificate, an important Roman priesthood. Slowly but surely throughout his lifetime he worked his way up the political ladder, eventually becoming Consul, and finally Dictator Perpeteus – Dictator for life. One of the most influential political and military leaders of all time, Caesar was also a highly intelligent man and an exceptional orator. However, acquiring this absolute power was no mean feat, and Caesar had well equipped himself through previous expeditions with all the resources necessary to gain power in Ancient Rome.
Julius Caesar's reign was an unfavorable and chaotic period for Rome, and after his death, a large portion of the empire was handed down to his adopted son, Gaius Octavian. From the ashes of his father, Octavian was able to build an Empire unparalleled. Later, the name Augustus was given to him by Senate. Augustus ostensibly maintained the form of the Roman Republic while in actuality creating the Roman Empire. He introduced the administrative reforms that led to the Pax Romana with its flourishing of trade and the arts. Although Augustus's ascension to power could have not been without it bequested by Julius, it was his use of art and propaganda that reinforced the legitimacy his position.
Over the span of five-hundred years, the Roman Republic grew to be the most dominant force in the early Western world. As the Republic continued to grow around the year 47 B.C it began to go through some changes with the rise of Julius Caesar and the degeneration of the first triumvirate. Caesar sought to bring Rome to an even greater glory but many in the Senate believed that he had abused his power, viewing his rule more as a dictatorship. The Senate desired that Rome continued to run as a republic. Though Rome continued to be glorified, the rule of Caesar Octavian Augustus finally converted Rome to an Empire after many years of civil war. Examining a few selections from a few ancient authors, insight is provided as to how the republic fell and what the result was because of this.
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.
Dio attributes Agrippa to being a foundation of the Roman Empire, as he settled a plethora of disputes on the frontiers, and at home. Agrippa was the admiral of Octavian’s fleet during the battle of Actium in 31 B.C. Octavian was set on allowing Antony’s fleet to flee, and then would chase them down.1 However, Agrippa believed Antony’s ships would have outran them, so he obliged to Octavian to head into battle.2 The overwhelming victory at Actium is due in large part, according to Dio, to Agrippa’s concerns. Dio had shown that Agrippa was a key success in aiding Octavian’s gaining of power, but also showed what Agrippa’s thoughts were regarding his sovereignty. “And you will remember how they treated your own father, Julius Caesar, because of the mere suspicion that he wished to make himself sole ruler.”3 Dio shows through Agrippa’s speech that he was weary of Octavian becoming a king of sort, because he feared for his safety, and the morale of the
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.
Octavian enabled the long, nonviolent time of the Pax Romana, (Latin for Roman peace) by changing Rome from a frail, collapsing republican government to a powerful empire. He is known as the first, and one of the greatest, Roman Emperors ever. Octavian was born on September 23, 63 BC, and died in 14 AD. Born with the name Gaius Octavius Thurinus, he was adopted posthumously by his great-uncle Gaius Julius Caesar via his will, and then was named Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. This happened in 44 BC when his great uncle, Julius Caesar, was assassinated by a group of conspirators. Additionally, he received the name “Augustus” a term meaning “the revered one” from the Roman Senate in 27 BC. Because of the various names he had, it is common to call him Octavius while referring to the events that between 63 and 44 BC, Octavian when referring to events between 44 and 27 BC, and Augustus when referring to events after 27 BC. Octavian is arguably the single most important figure in Roman history. Ever since he was a young boy, he was destined to become the next great leader. For example, Octavian along with his friend Marcus Agrippa went to visit the Sibyl of Cumae (oracle). When the Sibyl saw him, she bowed at his feet and said that he would be the next great leader. He did not believe her at the time, but just a few years later Julius Caesar would be dead and he would have power. Over the course of his long and spectacular career as “Principate,” he put an end to the collapse of the Republic, and established a system that would stand in the Roman government for three centuries.
The Romans were on one of the greatest people of all. They had power, wealth, and even a half of the world. They built one of the strongest and vast empire that world has ever seen. They came from nothing to something awesome. It started of as a city and ended up being one of the greatest empire of all. This essay is going to focus on the Roman Empire from the rise to the fall and the government, architecture, mythology, Family Structure, and Food of the Romans.
Octavian’s victory over Mark Antony in the battle of Actium is labeled as the most important battle of Antony’s civil war. It directly led to Octavian’s final conquest over Rome and is labeled as the defining moment of the birth of the Roman Empire. Despite fairly evenly matched forces, an overwhelming lack of leadership on Mark Antony’s part and many brilliant tactical moves made by Octavian and his Admirals allowed this battle to be an extremely decisive victory in Octavian’s favor. This paper will analyze the tactical and leadership based decisions made by both sides.
Julius Caesar was born on July 12 , 100 BC and died on March 15, 44 BC. Caesar was born into a patrician family. This meant that they were noble and were wealthier than the plebeians, who were the common people. (Julius Caesar -- Britannica School) “H is family traced their lineage back to the goddess Venus.” (Julius Caesar -- Britannica School) His uncles and cousins were all consuls and this put Caesar in a place of more power, but higher expectations. His parents were Gaius Caesar, his father, who died when Caesar was 16, and Aurelia, his mother, who greatly influenced his life. (Julius Caesar -- Britannica School ) “Caesar’s political ambitions developed under these circumstances. From the start he probably aimed at winning office, not just for personal glory but also to achieve the power to save Rome from decay.” (Julius Caesar -- Britannica School) On ce he was travelling to Rhodes and was captured by pirates. His ransom was paid, and then Caesar hunted his captors down and had them crucified. (Julius Caesar -- Britannica School) Then he began to climb the ladder of power in the Roman government and eventually was elected as a consul. While consul, he was sent to govern the province of Gaul and set out to conquer the entirety of Gaul. As this was going on, the senate decided that Caesar had to be put out of power, because there was too much risk of an uprising led by Caesar. ...
Forsyth, Fiona. The First Emperor: Augustus. New York: Rosen Central, 2003. Print. Leaders of Ancient Rome.
Augustus, nephew of Julius Caesar, was the first Emperor of the Roman Empire and transitioned from the Republic to the Empire. Although Augustus had his name changed or modified several times through out his lifespan, the most recognized names are his birth given name, Gaius Octavius, and final nam...