Emperor · 63 BC – 14
Augustus
Key Takeaways
- Augustus was the first Roman emperor, ruling from 27 BC to 14 AD.
- As Caesar's heir, he won the civil wars that followed the dictator's assassination.
- He transformed the Republic into an empire while preserving its outward forms.
- His reign began the Pax Romana, two centuries of relative peace.
Augustus transformed Rome from a republic convulsed by civil war into a stable empire — becoming, as Octavian, its first emperor. Few rulers have so completely reshaped the political order of their world.
Heir of Caesar
When Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, his teenage great-nephew Octavian emerged as his adopted heir. Shrewd and ruthless, he avenged Caesar at Philippi, then turned on his former ally Mark Antony and Cleopatra, crushing them at the naval Battle of Actium in 31 BC and absorbing Egypt into Rome.
The first emperor
In 27 BC he accepted the title Augustus and supreme power, while carefully preserving the outward forms of the Republic — a disguised monarchy he called the “restored Republic.” He reformed the army, taxation and the city itself, and his reign opened the Pax Romana, two centuries of relative peace.
Legacy
Augustus founded the Roman Empire that would endure for centuries and rule figures like the later Marcus Aurelius. He patronized a golden age of Latin poetry, lent his name to the month of August, and made “emperor” the model of supreme power for two thousand years.
Influence
Augustus created the political framework of the Roman Empire that endured for centuries, established a model of imperial rule imitated for two millennia, and presided over a golden age of Latin literature.
Legacy
He boasted that he found Rome a city of brick and left it one of marble; the month of August and the title of emperor both descend from him.
Controversies
- He achieved power through ruthless civil war and proscriptions that killed thousands, including Cicero.
- His 'restored Republic' was in reality a carefully disguised autocracy.
Notable Quotes
“I found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble.”
Connections
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Augustus?
Augustus (63 BC – 14 AD) was the first Roman emperor, heir of Julius Caesar, who ended the civil wars, founded the Roman Empire and began the Pax Romana.
How did Augustus come to power?
As Julius Caesar's adopted heir, he won the civil wars after Caesar's assassination — defeating the assassins and then Antony and Cleopatra — to become Rome's sole ruler.
Citations & Sources
- Goldsworthy, A. — Augustus: First Emperor of Rome.
- Encyclopædia Britannica — 'Augustus'.
People Like Augustus
Julius Caesar
95Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman whose conquest of Gaul and victory in civil war made him dictator of Rome, ending the Republic and paving the way for the Empire.
Why His great-uncle and adoptive father, whose name and legacy launched his rise to power.
Cleopatra VII
90Cleopatra VII was the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, a shrewd and learned monarch whose alliances with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony placed her at the center of Roman politics.
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Cicero
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