Imperator Caesar Augustus

Augustus and the Roman Empire

Noteworthy sources

http://www.roman-emperors.org/wardoc3a.htm

http://www.crystalinks.com/Suetonius.html

http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html

Imperator Caesar Augustus

Caesar Augustus (formerly known as Octavian) is widely considered the greatest Roman Emperor to live, boasting a range of honours, powers and titles, and a great understanding of how to manipulate the roman populus. The adopted son of Julius Caesar, he managed to achieve in his life what Caesar did not.

- Res Gestae Divi Augustus

- Suetonius: The Twelve Caesars

Building programme

Millitary Action

Political appointments and powers.

Extra Sources

Aims of the building prorgramme

Over the course of Augustus' reign (between 43 BC and AD 14), he put a vast amount of time and resources into rebuilding and improving Rome, the surrounding area, and it's provinces.

As Augustus famously said 'Marmoream se relinquere, quam latericiam accepisset' or 'I found Rome a city of brick and left it a

[myth of caesar augustus]

Augustus' ability as a general is up for debate as many of 'his' victories were won by others (e.g. Aggripa). However there is no doubt that because of Augustus a golden age of peace dawned at the end of the century of civil war. Augustus lists some of his more notable achievements in the Res Gestae but many others are found in different sources.

- Augustus was skilled at 'influencing opinion' and had 'developed the art of propoganda well beyond anything that his predecessors had attempted'. 'he made a great effort to influence the historical records...'

- By this _____ meant that Augustus had created a 'new system of government that would endure...' even surving 'such erratic rulers as Caligula and Nero.'

- His building programme had higher intentions than improving the look of the city, it was 'a clear statement of the power and wealth of the Princeps.' Although few would read the full length of the RG, 'all [would] have been impressed by the number of [his] statues, by the Ara Pacis, and by the temple of Mars Ultor.' - 'direct explanation of [his] political ideology'

- Augustus was very clever in how he used the name of Caesar to achieve his aims. He started by declaring pietas to his father, and that he would seek vengeance for his father. 'persuasive slogans, combined with generous amounts of money, helped win over the loyalty of the urban mob ... helped him to recruit a large number of veterans' Augustus 'pietas' made it difficult for his rivals to order an attack as their troops would not want to rebel against the name of Caesar.

- In 32BC, Augustus order the construction of his mausoleum. This was 'conviently timed to emphasise the contrast between his loyalty to Rome's tradition and Antony's betrayal of Roman values.' In his will, Antony had expressed his desire to be buried in Alexandria. 'Augustus was making a clear statment that he considered Rome to be the centre of the empire.'

Even 2000 years ago, Rome was city of great size and complexity, rivalling some cities of the modern era, hosting the most powerful people in the known world. From Rome, the entire Roman Empire was controlled and regulated, no mean feat. However, after the decimating civil wars of the likes of Sulla and Marius, Caesar and Antony, and so forth, Rome had fallen to pieces. Public money was being spent on glorifying military leaders and very little was going back to the people. Rome had become underwhelming to the traveller. "This is the great city of Rome I've heard so much about?" you may hear a disappointed tourist exclaim. Over his reign Augustus aimed to completely revamp the image of Rome so as to convey the enormity of it's power and grandeur. He wanted Rome to completely outshine all of the other Mediterranean cities. A clear statement of the power and wealth of the princeps.

Rome was so complex due to a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, it was a political and economic powerhouse. A huge amount of gold and wealth exchanged hands every day in Rome in return for services and political favours among other things. The Romans were also pioneers of their age. The estabilished the first police force (Cohortes Urbanae), the first fire service (albeit not a very effective one), health care, and one of the first forms of a democratic government. They also created aqueducts, roads, a sewage and waste disposal system, public religion, and many other things.

Without any doubt, under Augustus' leadership Rome changed, and it changed significantly. He contributed massively to the development of Rome out of his own pocket (and made no secret of it - RG 15, 16, 17, 21). Overall, it is estimated that Augustus expended 2.4 billion Sesterces (somewhere in the region of $500,000,000 at a very rough estimate). Augustus gave offered the premise that he surrendered this money so as to better the Roman

city of marble'. Before Augustus, Rome was destitute, falling into disrepair and ravaged by a century of civil war. By the time Augustus died, Rome had been transformed into a city of glory and wonder, in an ode to Augustus' work. Augustus left his legacy in plain view of the populus; not just in the work he had completed, but in his Res Gestae, inscribed on two bronze pillars outside the Mausoleum of Augustus.

people, although it is likely that he turned over such a large amount of money so he could win the hearts and minds of the Romans. He made sure this money was not wasted or forgotten and essentially branded every building or monument with his name, ensuring every time one of the plebians saw one of his buildings, they would know it was thanks to Augustus.

Millitary Achievements according to Res Gestae

Why Augustus was different

Augustus was not the first Roman to instigate building projects across Rome, however he was the first to do it at this scale. Many others before him (Sulla [right], Pompey, Caesar) had undertaken projects to renovate Rome.

- Sulla and Caesar altered the Forum

- Caesar was still involved in major military campaigns and thus was not solely dedicated to the cause

- Caesar had a very broad and grandiose plan for Rome (one which never came to fruition due to his untimely demise)

- He had, however, redefined his role as a founder of the city

- RG 4: Saluted 21 times Imperator; Decreed more triumphs which he declined; Thanksgiving decreed 55 times by senate; 9 kings or children of kings led before him in triumphs

- RG 13: Senate decreed Janus Quirinus shut 3 times whilst leading citizen.

- RG 26: Extended empire; Brought peace to Gaul, Spain and Germany from the Cadiz to the Elbe; Secured pacification of Alps without war; Fleet sailed to Cimbri, an unexplored area of land; Peoples of surrounding area sent ambassadors; At his command, 2 armies sent into Ethiopa and Arabia Felix; The armies advanced as far as Nabata and the Sabeans respectively

- 27: Annexed Egypt to the Roman empire; Handed over the kingdom of Armenia to Tigranes; When the people later rebelled, his son Gaius was sent

- Augustus intended to continue Caesars plans (using his legacy as a pivotal part of his powerbase)

- Before Augustus, Rome was unhappy, unsafe, unsanitary, and lacked and memorable landscape

- Augustus ushered in a golden age. People were happy and he used this to his advantage

to subdue them; Recovered provinces beyond the Adriatic Sea; Recovered Sicily and Sardinia in the aftermath of the slave war.

- 28: Founded colonies of soldiers in Africa, Sicily, Macedonia, both Spanish provinces, Achaea, Asia, Syria, Gallia Narbonensis and Pisidia; Italy had 28 colonies founded by Augustus, which were densely populated in his lifetime.

- 29: Recovered several standards lost by previous commanders from Spain, Gaul, and the Dalmatians.

- 30: Pannonian people conquered through the agency of Nero; Brought these into the Roman empire and expanded the Illyricium Frontier to Danube; When the Dacians crossed the Danube, Augustus defeated and routed them and his army crossed the river and subdued the Dacian people.

Name

Millitary Action according to Suetonius

- Suetonius describes the only two defeats under Augustus. _____________ and Teutoborg Forest. At Teutoborg, 3 legions were decimated by a germanic tribe led by Arminius. The defeat "almost wrecked the empire", and Augustus allegedly never got over his defeat according to Suetonius. FIND PAGE

- Describes how Octavian ended the civil war, inlcuding detail of Actium.

- [8.1] At the age of 8 (?) followed Caesar to Spain with few companions after recovering from a serious illness. This was also following a shipwreck and he had to travel a road with enemies all around. Due to this, Caesar formed a high opinion of Octavian.

- [9.1] Waged 5 civil wars: Mutina, Philippi, Perusia, Sicily, and Actium. Mutina and Actium were both against Mark Antony; Phillipi was against Brutus and Cassius; Perusia was against Lucius (Antony's brother); Sicily was against Sextus Pompey.

- [10.1] The reason for these wars was this: To avenge his 'fathers' death. Also, as Antony had opposed Octavian, he hired assassins to kill him [10.3] and when the plot was discovered, mustered an army of veterans in fear of retaliation. [10.4] In the first of two battles fought with Hirtius and Pansa, Octavian was said to have dissappeared and returned with neither horse nor cloak. However in the second, it was claimed Octavian fought bravely and heroically, playing the part of Leader and soldier; even bearing the Eagle when the carrier was wounded.

- [11.1] As Hirtius and Pansa both died, rumour spread that Octavian had killed them. Aquilus Niger asserts that Augustus dispatched Hirtius.

Name

Religion and Social Reform

Over Augustus' reign he made many and varied changes to religion and also greatly reformed the social aspects of Rome. He encouraged the development of the Imperial Cult and enforced procreation in Rome.

Religion and Social Reform acccording to Res Gestae

[8.5] Brought back 'exemplary practices to prosperity'.

[9.1] Senate decreed vows to be taken for Augustus' health by senators, games held by priestly colleges and consuls.

[9.2] All citizens and towns offered prayers at pulvinaria

[10.1] Name inserted in to hymn of Salii by decree of senate, he was decreed inviolable for ever, hold tribunician power

Name

The Imperial Cult - The Cult of Roma and Augustus

Religion and Social Reform - Classroom notes

Worship of Roma came about voluntarily in Greece and Asia voluntarily in 197 BC. Early as 29, templese erectived to Roma and Augustus in in Asia and Nicomedia, other cities followed suit. Augustus chose to encourage, nurture, and guide the growth of this veneration.Estabilished from East to West. In 12, an altar of Roma etabilished at the junction of Rhone and Sagne, opposite Lugdunum - the administrative centre of Transalpine Gaul, thus the people of Gaul and not to Augustus himself. Before Augustus' death, there was at least 1 altar in each province of the orient.

In both east and west, maintenance of the imperial cult was imposed on councils.

Augustus' ideals:

- Moral regeneration, religion had been disregarded, old cults neglected and become desitude, new cults emerging, Augustus wanted to nurture these.

- Augustus attempted to revive old Roman virtues [Aenied], Augustus was going to 'guide and nurture' significant people to create something new, made use of peoples tendencies toly. hold onto and strengthen beliefs and by doing this show loyalty.

Revival of public religion:

- Re-estabilishment of priestly colleges (different responsibility for different diety), Civil war had created confusion and uncertainty, increasing worship of deities such as Mercury, Fortune (Fortuna Augusta - link to Julii), and Hercules. Augustus wanted to foster these to increase ritual practice. Used his affiliation with the Julian Genii to impress the plebs. Erected a temple to Mars in the Forum, another to Caesar, and repaired: Jupiter Capitalinus, Quirinus, Magna Mater among others (85 in total). When a new shrine was built, Augustus honoured them personally.

- The Lares had been revived - The guardian divinities of the crossways, protectors of the household, brings peace and prosperity. Between 12 - 7BC each precinct (vici) had a shrine dedicated to the Lares. Worship conduted by comittee, plebs didn't directly worship the princepts but encouraged to view him as a guardian/protector.