Emperor Augustus was the first emperor of Rome who restored unity and orderly government to Rome after almost a century of civil war. He was ruler over an era of peace, prosperity, and cultural achievement known as the Augustan Age.
Augustus was born Gaius Octavius in Rome on September 23, 63 BC. He succeeded his foster father Julius Caesar as the ruler of the Roman state. Casesar liked him, and raised him to the College of Pontifices (a major Roman priesthood) at age 16. When Caesar was assassinated, Octavius was serving in Illyria. When he returned to Italy, he learned that he was Caesar's adopted heir.
Caesar's death put Rome into chaos. Octavian, who wished to avenge his adoptive father and secure his own place, vied with Mark Antony for power and honor. Octavian was made senator and consul while fighting Mark Antony, both militarily and politically.
Octavian wished to settle the dispute, so they both met with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, a general. At this meeting, they formed the Second Triumvirate. To seal the deal they proscribed (ordered the death of) 300 senators and 200 knights that were their enemies. Among the killed was Cicero.
Octavian and Antony then went after the plotters against Caesar, who both committed suicide. Octavian controlled most of the western provinces, Antony controlled most of the eastern provinces, and Lepidus controlled Africa. In 36 BC, the last of the enemies of the Second Triumvirate, Sextus Pompeius, was killed. Octavian then forced Lepidus from power while Antony was busy fighting the Parthians. Antony then married Cleopatra, and recognized Caesarion (Cleopatra's son by Caesar) as her coruler. This was against Octavian's position as the only sonof Caesar. War was unavoidable. He defeated Antony and Cleopatra's forces in a naval fight off of Actium in 31 BC. They both killed themselves the next year, and Caesarion was murdered. At 34, Octavian was the sole ruler of the Roman world.
In 27 BC, the Roman Senate gave Octavian the title Augustus ("consecrated" or "holy"). The Senate gave him a lot of other powers and titles that had been other people's jobs in the republic. He was given the inviolability of the plebeian tribune and received the tribunician power (gave him control over veto and the assemblies). He also had ultimate authority in the provinces. He held the consulship 13 times during his reign which gave him control of Rome and Italy. After the death of Lepidus he became the Pontifex Maximus ("chief priest") with control of religion.
All of these powers put together gave him the title of the princeps, or first citizen.
Augustus was a patron of the arts and was a friend of Ovid, Horace, and Vergil. He also was a friend of the historian Livy. He loved architecture and "found Rome brick and left it marble." He also attempted moral legislation.
His heirs died, one after the other, and his son-in-law Tiberius succeeded him when he died at Nola on August 19, AD 14.
Sources:
Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2007. © 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation.
No comments:
Post a Comment