Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor

Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor

by Anthony Everitt

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	9025 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	416 pages

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Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, was born Gaius Octavius on September 23, 63 BC. He was the grandnephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar, who was assassinated in 44 BC. Augustus's reign marked the beginning of the Pax Romana, a period of peace and prosperity that lasted for over two centuries.

Early life and career

Octavius was born into a wealthy equestrian family. His father, Gaius Octavius, was a senator and governor of Macedonia. His mother, Atia, was the niece of Julius Caesar. Octavius was raised in Rome, where he studied rhetoric and philosophy.

In 44 BC, Caesar was assassinated by a group of senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. Octavius was 19 years old at the time. Caesar's will named Octavius as his adopted son and heir, and he took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus.

Octavianus joined forces with Caesar's generals, Mark Antony and Lepidus, to form the Second Triumvirate. The triumvirate divided the Roman Republic into three parts, with Octavianus controlling the west, Antony controlling the east, and Lepidus controlling Africa.

In 42 BC, Octavianus and Antony defeated Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of Philippi. After the battle, Octavianus and Antony divided the Roman Republic between them, with Octavianus taking control of the west and Antony taking control of the east.

Rise to power

In 36 BC, Octavianus and Antony went to war against each other. Octavianus defeated Antony at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC. Antony and his lover, Cleopatra, committed suicide, and Octavianus became the sole ruler of the Roman Republic.

In 27 BC, Octavianus was granted the title of Augustus by the Roman Senate. The title Augustus was a sign of respect and honor, and it marked the beginning of the Roman Empire.

Reign

Augustus's reign was a time of peace and prosperity. He reformed the Roman government, the military, and the economy. He also patronized the arts and sciences, and he built many new buildings in Rome.

Augustus's most important reforms were the creation of the civil service and the establishment of the Pax Romana. The civil service was a professional bureaucracy that helped to administer the Roman Empire. The Pax Romana was a period of peace and prosperity that lasted for over two centuries.

Augustus also patronized the arts and sciences. He was a patron of the poet Virgil, the historian Livy, and the architect Vitruvius. He also built many new buildings in Rome, including the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Ara Pacis.

Death and legacy

Augustus died on August 19, 14 AD. He was 76 years old. He was succeeded by his adopted son, Tiberius.

Augustus's legacy is immense. He was the first emperor of Rome, and he established the Pax Romana, a period of peace and prosperity that lasted for over two centuries. He also reformed the Roman government, the military, and the economy. He patronized the arts and sciences, and he built many new buildings in Rome.

Augustus is considered one of the greatest emperors in Roman history. He was a brilliant military strategist, a skilled politician, and a patron of the arts. His reign marked the beginning of the Pax Romana, and he left a lasting legacy on the Roman Empire.

Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor

by Anthony Everitt

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	9025 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
X-Ray	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	416 pages

FREE