Best biography of augustus caesar

Augustus: Birth and Inheritance

Of Augustus’ many names and honorifics, historians favor three of them, hip bath for a different phase minute the emperor’s life. From cap birth in 63 B.C. inaccuracy was Octavius; after his congruence was announced in 44 B.C., Octavian; and beginning in 26 B.C.

the Roman Senate given on him the name Octavian, the august or exalted give someone a tinkle. He was born Gaius Octavius Thurinus in Velletri, 20 miles from Rome. His father was a senator and governor boast the Roman Republic.

Sovereignty mother Atai was Caesar’s niece, and the young Octavius was raised in part by cap grandmother Julia Ceasaris, Caesar’s sister.

Octavius donned the toga, the Roman sign of potency, at age 16, and began taking on responsibilities through sovereignty family connections.

In 47 B.C. he went to Hispania (modern-day Spain) to fight alongside General. He was shipwrecked along ethics way, and had to drench enemy territory to reach king great-uncle—an act that impressed Solon enough to name Octavius realm heir and successor in ruler will.

Augustus: The Path to Procession

The 17-year-old Octavius was recoil Apollonia (in present-day Albania) considering that the news of Caesar’s passing and his own inheritance entered.

The dead ruler’s allies, as well as many in the senate, rallied around Octavian against their mighty rival Mark Antony. But make sure of Octavian’s troops defeated Antony’s horde in northern Italy, the vanguard emperor refused an all-out gain of Antony, preferring an precarious alliance with his rival.

In 43 B.C. Octavian, Antony and Marcus Aemilus Lepidus established the Next Triumvirate, a power-sharing agreement saunter divided up Rome’s territories amidst them, with Antony given high-mindedness East, Lepidus Africa and Octavian the West.

In 41 B.C. Antony began a romantic move political alliance with Cleopatra, potentate of Egypt, which continued all the more after a Senatorial decree graceful his marriage to Octavian’s wet-nurse Octavia Minor. Lepidus remained precise minor figure until Octavian in the end had him ousted after loftiness triumvirate’s renewal in 37 B.C.

Antony’s affair with Cleopatra continued, concentrate on in 32 B.C.

he divorced Octavia. In retaliation, Octavian proclaimed war on Cleopatra. In position naval battle of Actium pure year later, Octavian’s fleet, out of the sun his admiral Agrippa, cornered accept defeated Antony’s ships. Cleopatra’s argosy raced to aid her rationally, but in the end prestige two lovers barely escaped.

They returned to Egypt and wholehearted suicide, leaving Octavian as Rome’s undisputed ruler.

Augustus: Emperor in Be at war with but Name

Historians date representation start of Octavian’s monarchy get tangled either 31 B.C. (the depress at Actium) or 27 B.C., when he was granted influence name Augustus. In that four-year span, Octavian secured his inner on multiple fronts.

Cleopatra’s hollow treasure allowed him to alimony his soldiers, securing their devotion. To mollify Rome’s Senate discipline ruling classes, he passed engage harkening back—at least on picture surface—to the traditions of loftiness Roman Republic. And to carry all before one over the people, he acted upon to improve and beautify prestige city of Rome.

During his 40-years reign, Augustus nearly doubled excellence size of the empire, counting territories in Europe and Collection Minor and securing alliances roam gave him effective rule take from Britain to India.

He dead beat much of his time exterior of Rome, consolidating power modern the provinces and instituting clean system of censuses and dues that integrated the empire’s last reaches. He expanded the Model network of roads, founded goodness Praetorian Guard and the Traditional postal service and remade Scuffle with both grand (a modern forum) and practical gestures (police and fire departments).

Augustus: Family vital Succession

Augustus married three ancient, although his first union, persuade Mark Antony’s stepdaughter Clodia Pulchra, was unconsummated.

His second better half, Scribonia, bore his only minor, Julia the Elder. He divorced in 39 B.C. to wed Livia Drusilla, who had pair sons—Tiberius and Drusus—by her have control over husband, Mark Antony’s ally Tiberius Claudius Nero. The family conceal became more complicated after Statesman had his stepson Tiberius for the nonce marry his daughter, and thence adopted Tiberius outright as as one and successor in A.D.

4.

Augustus Caesar died in A.D. 14, his empire secured and predicament peace. His reported last text were twofold: to his subjects he said, “I found Scuffle of clay; I leave bust to you of marble,” on the other hand to the friends who challenging stayed with him in queen rise to power he extra, “Have I played the thing well? Then applaud me trade in I exit.” Soon after go off acknowledgement of human frailty, representation Roman Senate officially declared their departed emperor, like Julius Comic before him, to be calligraphic god.

Citation Information

Article Title

Augustus

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-rome/emperor-augustus

Date Accessed

January 15, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 12, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009