Augustus The Augustan Principate example essay topic

In 44 BC, a young boy named Gaius Octavian received two pieces of shocking news. Number one: His grandmother's brother, the Roman dictator Julius Caesar, had been murdered. Number two: In his will, Caesar had pronounced young Octavian as his heir. As it was dangerous for anyone, let alone an inexperienced, 18 year-old boy, to try to step into the dictator's shoes, he was advised not to take the risk by his family, however Octavian audaciously went to Rome to claim his inheritance. Here he met his opposition in the form of the powerful politician Mark Antony, who had seized Caesar's money and papers and was claiming to be Caesar's loyal heir and successor. Nevertheless, Octavian accepted the name Gaius Julius Caesar, swiftly won the loyalty of many of his great-uncle's supporters, and assumed a role in government.

Initially, Octavian worked with Mark Antony; as a matter of fact, Antony even married Octavian's sister, Octavia. But in due course the ambitious Antony combined forces with the ruler of Egypt, Cleopatra VII, and divorced Octavia. Seeing this as his chance to get rid of Antony, Octavian declared war on Cleopatra. Octavian overpowered Antony and Cleopatra's forces at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC and went on to conquer Egypt. Both Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide, and Octavian used Cleopatra's assets to strengthen his power. Within the 20 years subsequent to Julius Caesar's death, Octavian was the ruler of the Roman Empire.

In 27 BC the Senate gave him the title Augustus, meaning, "revered."In my sixth and seventh consulship, after I had put out the flames of civil war and by universal consent had become possessed of the control of affairs, I transferred the state from my own power to the will of the senate and people of Rome. For this service I received by decree of the Senate the name of Augustus". - Augustus (Res Gestae) The Augustan Principate was ultimately responsible for the "Pax Romana" otherwise known as the Peace of Rome. There are copious benefits that Augustus brought to the citizens of Rome and Italy for the period of his reign and also paid an excessive amount of consideration to Public Buildings and Works. Augustus used the money he received from the "Proceeds of Booty" to subsidize these public buildings and works yet he still encouraged leading citizens to "Embellish the city... according to their means". - Suetonius Augustus makes many claims in his memoirs, 'Res Gestae', that he "found Rome a city of brick and left her as a city of marble".

It would appear that under the Augustan Principate, everyone was content because they had the assurance of peace and they thought the idea of rebelling against something that seemed so constructive would be so foolish: "He attracted everybody's good will by the enjoyable gift of peace... nobody had any immediate worries as long as Augustus retained his physical powers... and the peace of the Empire". - Tacitus The Romans felt safe because after countless years of civil unrest, Rome was now in control and flourishing. The fact that Augustus was in power for so long reinforces the impression that he was the bringer of peace, people trusted him and is why he "Excelled all in influence, although I possessed no more official powers that others who were my colleagues in several magistracies". - Augustus (Res Gestae) Already one achievement that stands out before Octavian takes the title of Augustus is the closing of the Gates of Janus on Octavian's return to Rome in 29 BC.

Janus is the double-faced god of gateways, doorways, transitions, and beginnings. According to ancient Roman tradition, the gates dedicated to Janus in the forum were opened whenever Rome declared war, consequently ensuring good fortune for the troops as they marched out on battle. When no wars were being fought, the gates would be closed, symbolizing peace. Rome's history being what it was, the gates of Janus had been closed only two times prior to Augustus / Octavian's day. Augustus relied a great deal upon the Senate to manage the state. The Senate had given all of Augustus' powers to him.

Ultimately the Senate controlled the Executive, Legislative and Judicial areas of the Empire however there was no division of Power as Augustus used his position as princeps senat us to have the final say. Always the subtle manipulator, Augustus carefully selected titles for himself and his administration that were entirely inoffensive. He called himself Princeps, or First Citizen; his government was the Principate, or rule of the First Citizen. Nothing happened without Augustus' authorisation as he regularly held the consulship. In 23 BC he resigned the consulship, which he had held every year since 31 BC.

In return, he received the two most formidable powers of the Roman republic - the tribunican veto and the consular imperium. In fact, his imperium was made superior to that of all other proconsuls. The powers he now held were extraordinary, simply because they were held by only one man. By the end of his reign all but one of Rome's legions were under his direct control. From the end of 27 BC until 19 BC, Augustus was absent from Rome re organising the provinces, first in the west and then in the east.

In 18 BC his imperium was renewed for five years. From 16 BC to 13 BC he was again absent, strengthening and extending the northern frontiers. His imperium was renewed for another five years when he returned. The provinces were governed either by imperial legates responsible to the princeps or by proconsuls selected by the Senate. Overall, it is fair to say that the provinces, whether public or imperial, benefited very much from Augustus's reign.

Not only had be brought them peace, he also brought them good government. Augustus was able to reform the administration of Rome and the provinces under his newfound titles, together with establishing an urban prefecture (local government) that endured for centuries. He had the senate moved from being the chief organ of the state to being a subordinate entity. Augustus had to make sure that his real power was not constantly thrown in the face of the senators, hence his tact in dealing with them.

After the death of Lepidus in 13 BC Augustus was elected the chief priest, (Pontifex Maximus). He sought nothing for himself; he was no Julius Caesar. Undeniably, he often expressed reluctance to accept offices and honours that struck him as too much, and occasionally he refused them outright. The Augustan Principate would not be over-looked as the key factor of Rome's success. Augustus's ultimate legacy, however, was the peace and prosperity the empire was to enjoy for the next two centuries under the system he initiated. In sharp contrast to Caesar, Augustus constantly had one eye on aristocratic sensitivities, not wanting to insult the nobles by openly grabbing too much power.

After all, he did not want to unintentionally end up like his great-uncle..