Augustus Ceasar

Augustus Ceasar

Caesar Augustus, Rome’s first true great emperor. He is known to modern historians as the historical figure that had the greatest impact on the ancient world. Augustus became Caesar after the assassination of Julius Caesar and united the split roman empire after over 100 years of civil war. He is the single most important person in roman history, and he conquered more territories than anyone other roman ruler. This is why Augustus Caesar had such a long and brilliant career.

Augustus was born in Rome, in 63 B.C. with the name Gaius Octavius Thurinus. His father, also Gaius Octavius, came from a respectable family and was governor of Macedonia before his death in 58 BC. More importantly, his mother Atia Balba Caesonia was the niece of Rome's greatest general, Julius Caesar. In 46 BC Caesar, who had no children, took his great-nephew Augustus, to fight in Hispania, and adopted him as his heir. By his adoption, he then used the name Gaius Julius Caesar. Roman tradition said that he also use the surname Octavianus to indicate his biological family, from which historians take the name Octavian. However no evidence exists that he ever used the name Octavianus.

When Julius Caesar was assassinated in March 44 BC, Octavius was with the army at Apollonian, in what is now Albania. At the time, he was only eighteen years old, and his power was always underestimated by his rivals. He gathered support by emphasizing his status as heir to Caesar and took the name Gaius Julius Caesar. In Rome, after Julius Caesars death Gaius meets with Antony in Horti Pompeii, Gaius attempted to collect his legacy from Antony, who stole Caesar's papers and fortune. After taking control over the papers and Rome he, Antony, and Lepidus each received one third of Julius Caesar’s empire. Augustus received the part that was Africa. After gaining more power, he defeated Lepidus for trying to take over Sicily. He finally defeated Marc Antony at the battle of Actium in 31 B.C. That same year he received another consulship and held that position for eight years. He then disbanded his armies, and held elections. Gaius Julius Caesar was then elected to Consol, the highest office in the republic. “Julius Caesar is proclaimed a god (due to a comet that appeared at games in his honor in 44) Octavian becomes "son of a god", divi filius. “Kondratieff, Eric. 27, April, 2001 .”

Augustus in 27 B.C. he officially gave power of Rome back to the senate. He also offered to give up his military leadership over Egypt. The senate turned him down and also gave him power over Hispania, Gaul and Syria. These three states had the most amounts of troops occupying them. This is when the senate gave him the name Augustus. He knew that he needed more power to be able to have absolute control. In 23 B.C. he was granted the power of tribune, which gave him the power to assemble the senate at any time. This duty was normally held by commoners, so this gave him even more power. Another thing he was granted was “imperial power” or power greater than anyone. This gave him all power relating to government. In this same year he is said to have assumed the role of Roman Emperor. He acted in the name of the senate and the senate gave him full support over most