Meta Description: Augustus was one of the most successful leaders of ancient Rome. Read on to know about his life, accomplishments, and rise to power.
Augustus was the first Roman emperor who was majorly responsible for converting Rome from a republic country to an empire. He reigned from 27 BC until his death on August 19, AD 14. Julius Caesar was his maternal uncle.
Augustus is well-known for starting the Pax Romana, the most peaceful period of two centuries in Rome. His name changed to Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus when, in 27 BCE, the Senate awarded him the title of Augustus.
In 43 BC, his uncle and adoptive father, Julius Caesar, was assassinated, and as per his will, he was named as his heir.
About Augustus
Augustus was born on September 23, 63 BCE, in an old and rich family. He is also known as Octavian, as his real name was Gaius Octavius. He was the nephew of Julius Caesar, the greatest and most popular Roman leader.
Julius Caesar named Augustus his adopted son and legal heir in his will. Sadly, Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, which hurt Augustus. He thought of taking revenge on the assassins and formed the Second Triumvirate with Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus.
The trio defeated the assassinators in the Battle of Philippi. Unfortunately, within just a couple of years, the Triumvirate was broken because of internal conflict among the members.
After Julius Caesar's assassination, Augustus took control of the Roman Empire. He brought about many changes to help Rome prosper.
Major Accomplishments
Augustus did a lot as a Roman Emperor and brought peace and stability to the country. He initiated the two-century-long Pax Romana. His monetary reforms helped increase trade. In addition, Augustus started religious reforms so that people could revive their beliefs in traditional Gods.
Because of his efforts, the Romans became free from any large-scale conflict for over two centuries. In 27 BCE, he officially recreated the republic of Rome and incorporated various constitutional and financial reforms that evolved the birth of the principate. Augustus gained a lot of popularity as the 'princeps' or first ruler of Rome.
Rise to Power
When he returned to Italy, he was notified that Caesar, in his will, had adopted him as his son and made him his legal heir. He was very young, just 18, but he took the responsibility and went to Rome.
Caesar's chief lieutenant, Mark Antony, thought he would be the legal heir. Therefore, he denied giving Caesar's funds and other essential documents.
Cicero, the famous orator, thought of using Augustus but was unaware of his abilities and skills. Although Augustus faced many difficulties, he won various dictators' troops to form his allegiance because of his hard work.
Augustus could not work for the nation with limited funds. Therefore, he requested the reserves that Caesar gave for the war against the Parthian Empire in the Middle East. This way, Augustus got 700 million sesterces (Roman coins) stored in Brundisium.
Things were working in his favour, and he was successfully able to conquer the assassins of Caesar. He had various battles, such as wars with Pompeius, Antony and Cleopatra, etc., and won all of them. After being defeated by Augustus in the Battle of Actium, Mark Antony committed suicide.
Conclusion
Augustus had all the qualities to rule the country. Caesar could see those qualities, and he made him his legal heir so that he could transform the country into a better place for the citizens.
Augustus achieved all this success by going through a lot of struggles. Ultimately, he was able to lift the political pressure and get stability, peace, and traditional legality back to the country.
FAQs
Q1. What major changes did Augustus make as emperor?
He passed laws and acts for marriage stability, restored religious practices, created a new taxation system, and expanded the network of Roman roads.
Q2. Why was the second Triumvirate created?
It was created majorly to kill political rivals and supporters of Caesar's assassinators.
Q3. Was Pax Romana a prosperous period for Ancient Rome?
Despite various wars and revolts, Pax Romana was a golden period of 20 years. It brought order, stability, power, and expansion. Pax Romana sustained Roman imperialism. The transportation system was improved, and tunnels were created. These changes were useful for military purposes as well.
Q4. Who is said to be the worst emperor of Rome?
Nero is considered the worst emperor of Rome because he was under suspicion of sexual immorality. He also murdered various Roman citizens.
Q5. Was Augustus considered a good leader?
Augustus was accountable for bringing the country from chaos to peace, making him a good leader. He brought prosperity, development, and financial stability to the country. He established new buildings, facilitated various reforms, and created the police force and fire brigade.
