Augustus and Constantine were without a doubt two of the most influential leaders of ancient times. Their ambitions and achievements have had a permanent impact on western civilization, shaping it into what it is now. Whether it was the social and political reforms of Augustus or the religious enthusiasm of Constantine, these men helped shape Roman civilization in to what it is today. Augustus, whose original name was Octavius, was the nephew of Julius Caesar. When Caesar was killed in 44 B.C., he stated in his will, that his great-nephew was to be adopted as his son and become his successor. Later throughout his political and military career, he ruled under the name that was given to him, Augustus. After Caesar’s death, Mark Antony and Lepidus possessed Caesars’s will and other documents, thus they planned to cease control of Rome. Though Antony’s dream of Rome was shattered when Octavius appeared claiming his right to Rome as Caesar’s heir.
While Antony was declared public enemy, Octavius was
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The God became a prominent figure in Octavius’ reign, the God is a symbol of sun. He was given the title Augustus in recognition of his dignity and services to the state. As the undisputed ruler of Rome, Augustus went to restoring Rome to its greatness, his policy was a policy of conciliation. He wanted to erase the hatred of civil war and reconcile with the men of senate. For the senate, he restored it, reduced the numbers of members. For the people, Augustus gave them the duty of electing the magistrates, and for the magistrates, Augustus did not interfered in the Republic offices. He allowed them to remain as undisputed as possible for the old republic magistrates was one of honor than responsibility For the army, knowing it was one of the main strengths of the Roman Empire, he didn’t want it to become a problem. He reduced the legions in half, fifty to twenty-five. Each legion did not exceed 150,000
Rome was the greatest empire of all times and it impacted the society in many ways. It impacted society by the creation of laws, government practices, language, literature, and art.
From 500 AD to 500 B.C, during the classical era, Rome and Greece, developed and settled along the Mediterranean Sea. Within these 1000 years, both Rome and Greece went through multiple transitions of power and struggled to maintaining peace. America learned from Greece and Rome’s mistakes and evolved into a more successful version of the two civilizations. The two civilizations did not only teach United States, but they also influenced American culture and infrastructure. Although Greece contributed to many elements of modern day America, Rome had a larger influence on America through the use of democracy, economy, and advancement in culture.
Caesar’s death brought turmoil to into Rome. Augustus was determined to avenge his adopted father’s death and vied with two of his chief rivals for power, Mark Antony and Lepidus. After some minor conflicts and disputes, both military and political, Augustus realized the importance and significance of making peace with his rivals. Through these small skirmishes, Antony was driven across the Alps, while Augustus was made senator and then consul. Soon after, Augustus and Antony were joined by Antony’s ally. They met and formed the Second Triumvirate to rule the Roman domains. Their alliance was sealed by a huge proscription in which 300 senators and 200 knights were killed. These were the Triumvir’s enemies.
In the early first century AD, the Roman Empire was subject to autocratic rule and the old Republic was long dead. Augustus had been ruling for forty years and most of that time he was loved and praised by the Senate and the people of Rome. Throughout his reign, Augustus had the one lingering problem of finding a successor to take over the role of Emperor. He had chosen 3 different heirs in his time of rule; however, they all passed before they had the chance to inherit Augustus’ esteemed power. His fourth choice, Tiberius, was the one to succeed Augustus.
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.
Within the Ancient world, political leaders manipulated the balance between religion and politics to further their own power. In particular, Gaius Octavius (63 BC – 14 AD) later known as Imperator Caesar Divi Filius Augustus, exploited the ‘imperial cult’ as a political tool within the Roman Empire. Termed by modern historians, the imperial cult was a combination of local religious cults where people worshipped the emperor as a deity who received divine honours exceeding all other living entities. By directly allowing the imperial cult in the Roman provinces, this achieved much required unity and stability throughout the Empire. Consequently, this enabled Augustus to indirectly incorporate the cult into Rome’s ritualistic polytheism practices.
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.
Having crushed every one of his foes, Caesar was conceded a 10-year tyranny for reasons for reestablishing the republic. His answer was to reconstitute himself as a Roman type of Hellenistic celestial lord or ruler. Since 510 BC nonetheless, the Romans had prided themselves with having acquired their flexibility by removing their Etruscan King. The very word ruler, REX, was an abomination to the Republic attitude. Roman natives had a municipal obligation to stifle any endeavor at oppression however political death and could do as such with exemption. Albeit deliberately keeping away from the title "rex", Caesar endeavored to gather for himself all aspects of sacred power, serving in the meantime as despot, as diplomat, as Pontifex Maximus, and as Plebeian Tribune forever. In mid 44 BC he announced himself DICTATOR IN PERPETUO (really recorded on his coins). He was killed by a trick of around 60 odd representatives a couple of weeks after the fact. Now the point of reference of tenet by one man had been built up at Rome. The main inquiry remained which of his supporters would in all probability succeed him to this position. This ended up being his extraordinary fabulous nephew, C. Julius C. F. Caesar Octavianus, or
Adopted by his great uncle Julius Caesar, Augustus became a ruler along with Mark Anthony and after death of Caesar, where together the two paved a way for a superior Roman empire. During his leadership Augustus accomplished many things; one such example is his rebuilding and vast construction throughout the Roman empire of both temples and public baths. Augustus also held the Roman people to the law very strictly. “This is shown through the banishment of his own daughter after she broke her marriage vows in an act of adultery, which was decreed illegal under his rule”. Augustus was able to strengthen and expand Rome through these construction projects and laws, benefiting the empire both during and after his reign. As he once said himself “I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.
Most notably, two of his generals, Antony and Lepidus, were members of the second triumvirate. Some of his assassins even rose to prominence serving under him, like Decimus Brutus . And of course, Octavian could begin his rise to power because Caesar adopted him posthumously in his will. Even though a dead man could not adopt someone, Gaius Octavius changed his name and became Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, and his position as Caesar 's son was incredibly important for him in the coming civil
Augustus Caesar’s had a huge impact on Western Civilization. He molded Rome into being a peaceful place. He changed Rome. He made it bigger and more glorious. He created things that we still use today like currency and the postal service. He was good to the people of Rome, and because of his kindness he was worshiped by most of the Roman’s and after his death considered a
Gaius Octavius, or later known as Octavian, was the adopted son of Julius Caesar. He took over after Julius died and the republic fell. He belonged to a successful family. His father was the first of his family to become a senator, his mother was the niece of Julius Caesar. They lived in Velitrae. This shows how little of a political background he came from. He traveled with his uncle/ adopted father and learned the ropes of government. He was 18 when he came to Rome to claim his dictatorship. Mark Antony was chief lieutenant at the time (Grant). Augustus Caesar is often a man mistaken for his adoptive father, Julius Caesar, but this man made a name for himself by becoming the first emperor of Rome. He rebuilt Rome from the crumbling civilization that it was to a thriving empire by reorganizing the government and ending the Roman Republic once and for all.
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.
Julius Caesar was born on the 13th day of the month Quintilis (now July) in the year of 100 B.C. His full name was Gaius Julius Caesar, the same as his father's name. Gaius was his given name and Julius was his surname. Caesar was the name of one branch of the Julian family. Its original meaning was "hairy.” Caesar's family was not prominent, but they claimed to be descended from Venus as well as the kings of Alba Langa. In spite of that fiction, Caesar was well connected through his relatives and received some important government assignments during his youth. Julius Caesar was the dictator of Rome from 61-44 BC. At the time of his birth, Rome was still a republic and the empire was only beginning. Caesar made his way to be considered a head of Rome by 62 BC, but many of the senate felt him a dangerous, ambitious man. The senate did their best to keep him out of consulship. He finally became consul in 59 BC. In Caesar, they saw only the threat of a king, a word that was linked with the word “tyrant” that is cruel or unjust rule.
civilization has had a range of great people; two of the most brilliant and influential leaders were Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar. The turning points in history they were involved in were their individual conquests and their unfortunate deaths. Alexander's greatest victory was over the Persians; Caesar's greatest victory was his defeat of Pompey. Their actions and beliefs had their influence on their society and society of today.