The First Roman emperor
| Most historians consider the first Roman emperor to be Caesar Augustus, who was also known as Octavian. Augustus was related to Julius Caesar, who had been killed by his political enemies due to fears that he would create a monarchy. Unlike his predecessor, Augustus never made the mistake of proclaiming himself to be a dictator. Caesar Augustus was given a number of titles, and one of the most prominent is the "first leader of the Roman Senate." While he was allowed to wear the Civic Crown, he could not take on additional powers. Most historians today consider Augustus to be the last great leader of Rome. Indeed, after his rule ended, the Empire begins to decline rapidly. |  |
One of the most interesting things about Augustus is that he gave the outward appearance of a republic. In reality, his rule was autocratic. Despite this, he did a number of notable things which brought peace and stability to Rome. Firstly, he was responsible for putting a stop to the civil wars that had engulfed the country for many years. The term Pax Romana was used to describe the time in which Augustus ruled. His rule lasted for nearly 40 years. While Augustus was born to a respectable family, they were not distinguished. His mother was the niece of Julius Caesar. When he was young, he spent a great deal of time with his grandfather. He was made a member of the College of Pontiffs at the age of 15.
Octavian spent time with Julius Caesar when he was young. Once Julius Caesar was murdered, his documents revealed that since Caesar did not have a male heir, Octavian would be chosen to become Caesar. Those who were political enemies of Augustus made the mistake of underestimating him because of his age. There were also a number of notable conflicts between Augustus and Marc Anthony. The two men would engage each other in combat, and Marc Anthony committed suicide upon his loss. The primary difference between Julius Caesar and his nephew was clemency. While Julius Caesar demonstrated it Augustus did not.
Once Octavian became known as Augustus, this is the period in which the Principate began. The Western portion had pledged their loyalty to him, and the eastern portion followed the same path once Marc Anthony and Cleopatra had been defeated. When the Principate begin, Rome was practically chaotic due to the numerous civil wars that had plagued the land.
Original Authors: Stephen Palmer
Edit Update Authors: RPN
Updated On: 30/01/2007
