Optimus Sum!: Feb 23, 2009

Monday, February 23, 2009

Emperor Augustus-Biography

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.

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Julius Caesar-Biography

"Veni, vidi, vici!" This phrase (meaning, "I came, I saw, I conquered") was stated by one of the most famous and powerful rulers of all time after he gained a quick military victory in Asia Minor...This man was Gaius Julius Caesar.

Fun Facts:
-No previous Roman leader had held so many powerful positions simultaneously.
-Caesar was known for more than his military prowess. He was known as a great writer, poet, and scholar.
-He was even the first person to issue coinage with him on it.
-The month July he had named after himself (otherwise, the month would be called "Quintilis")
-He began Rome's transition from republic to empire

Caesar was born in Rome, Italy on July 12 or 13, 100 B.C. He died on March 14, 44 B.C. He was a Roman whose dictatorship would lead Rome to becoming an empire. He laid the foundation for the Roman Imperial system.
Julius Caesar was born to a prestigious family that was famous in politics of the time. During his childhood, Caesar witnessed one of the most horrifying decades in the history of Rome. Political takeovers were causing chaos.
Casesar married the duaghter of his Uncle Marius' associate Cornelia, which allied Marius and his associate. He was ordered to divorce her by Sulla, then fled the city with her to avoid harm. He returned to Rome after the resignation of Sulla, but left again to the island of Rhodes. He returned as a more learned person, prepared to run for office. He had been elected to the ponitificate while he was gone. He formed an alliance with Crassus. Caesar was then elected quaestor (magistrate) in 69 BC. He was appointed aedile four years later. He used money from Crassus to sponsor great events and win support. He also used this money to be elected as the pontifex maximus (high priest) of the Roman religion. When his first wife died, Caesar remarried to the grandaughter of Sulla, Pompeia. He left Rome to be governor of Spain and then married again to Calpurnia.
Upon returning to Rome, he joined hte First Triumvirate with Crassus and Pompey. He was later elected consul and governor of three Roman provinces for 5 years.
He then started a campaign against Gaul, France. He defeated Gaul, but when the tribes there united and revolted he faced some problems with their new leader, Vercingetorix. He eventually defeated him after some major setbacks.
When Crassus died, Pompey wished to get rid of Caesar as well. They had political turmoil. Caesar broke the law and crossed the Rubicon with his army. This led to civil war for four years. Caesar crushed Pompey's forces, but Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was assassinated. Caesar followed to Egypt and won in war against King Ptolemy XIII. He made Cleopatra queen of Egypt.
In 47 BC he went to Asia Minor, and after a victory used the phrase stated above.
Caesar was appointed dictator for life in 45 BC. He was also made consul for ten years in 45 BC. He then renamed the month Quintilis after himself. He called in July.
He was in total command of the armies, which was the backbone of his power. He then made reforms, including reconstituting the courts, increasing the number of senators, and reforming the calendar.
All of Caesar's honors and power made some senatorial families feel threatened. This led them to hatch a plot to kill Caesar. Gaius Cassius and Marcus Junius Brutus helped with the plot. On March 14, 44 BC, he was killed upon entering a meeting in the senate. At the funeral, Mark Antony angered a few people, who burned Caesar's body in the forum.
His nephew Octavius, who he adopted, was made the first emperor of Rome under the name Augustus.

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Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2007. © 1993-2006 Microsoft Corporation.