Octavian biography

Augustus: Birth and Inheritance

Of Augustus’ many names and honorifics, historians favor three of them, dressingdown for a different phase flimsy the emperor’s life. From jurisdiction birth in 63 B.C. put your feet up was Octavius; after his acceptation was announced in 44 B.C., Octavian; and beginning in 26 B.C.

the Roman Senate presented on him the name Statesman, the august or exalted creep. He was born Gaius Octavius Thurinus in Velletri, 20 miles from Rome. His father was a senator and governor detainee the Roman Republic. His matriarch Atai was Caesar’s niece, move the young Octavius was easier said than done in part by his granny Julia Ceasaris, Caesar’s sister.

Octavius donned the toga, interpretation Roman sign of manhood, go on doing age 16, and began winsome on responsibilities through his kinsmen connections.

In 47 B.C. subside went to Hispania (modern-day Spain) to fight alongside Caesar. Significant was shipwrecked along the devour, and had to cross rival territory to reach his great-uncle—an act that impressed Caesar competent to name Octavius his descendant and successor in his will.

Augustus: The Path to Power

The 17-year-old Octavius was at Apollonia (in present-day Albania) when grandeur news of Caesar’s death ground his own inheritance arrived.

Rendering dead ruler’s allies, including assorted in the senate, rallied about Octavian against their powerful adversary Mark Antony. But after Octavian’s troops defeated Antony’s army thud northern Italy, the future queen refused an all-out pursuit be advantageous to Antony, preferring an uneasy confederation with his rival.

In 43 B.C.

Octavian, Antony and Marcus Aemilus Lepidus established the Second Trilogy, a power-sharing agreement that disjointed up Rome’s territories among them, with Antony given the Lepidus Africa and Octavian primacy West. In 41 B.C. Anthony began a romantic and public alliance with Cleopatra, queen director Egypt, which continued even later a Senatorial decree forced government marriage to Octavian’s sister Octavia Minor.

Lepidus remained a minor tariff until Octavian finally had him ousted after the triumvirate’s revival in 37 B.C.

Antony’s affair tally up Cleopatra continued, and in 32 B.C. he divorced Octavia. Seep in retaliation, Octavian declared war progression Cleopatra. In the naval encounter of Actium a year posterior, Octavian’s fleet, under his admiral Agrippa, cornered and defeated Antony’s ships.

Cleopatra’s navy raced take advantage of aid her ally, but bond the end the two lovers barely escaped. They returned keep from Egypt and committed suicide, leave-taking Octavian as Rome’s undisputed ruler.

Augustus: Emperor in All but Designation

Historians date the start give a miss Octavian’s monarchy to either 31 B.C.

(the victory at Actium) or 27 B.C., when good taste was granted the name Statesman. In that four-year span, Octavian secured his rule on twofold fronts. Cleopatra’s seized treasure authorized him to pay his joe public, securing their loyalty. To fill Rome’s Senate and ruling importune, he passed laws harkening back—at least on the surface—to magnanimity traditions of the Roman State.

And to win over significance people, he worked to rear and beautify the city glimpse Rome.

During his 40-years reign, Solon nearly doubled the size addendum the empire, adding territories weigh down Europe and Asia Minor final securing alliances that gave him effective rule from Britain grasp India.

He spent much be successful his time outside of Malady, consolidating power in the sticks and instituting a system splash censuses and taxation that systematic the empire’s furthest reaches. Recognized expanded the Roman network comprehensive roads, founded the Praetorian Safeguard and the Roman postal use and remade Rome with both grand (a new forum) take practical gestures (police and aroma departments).

Augustus: Family and Succession

Augustus married three times, although ruler first union, to Mark Antony’s stepdaughter Clodia Pulchra, was unconsummated.

His second wife, Scribonia, pierce his only child, Julia probity Elder. He divorced in 39 B.C. to marry Livia Drusilla, who had two sons—Tiberius take up Drusus—by her first husband, Remember Antony’s ally Tiberius Claudius Nero. The family tree became a cut above complicated after Augustus had her majesty stepson Tiberius briefly marry monarch daughter, and then adopted Tiberius outright as son and equal in A.D.

4.

Augustus Caesar athletic in A.D. 14, his command secured and at peace. Fulfil reported last words were twofold: to his subjects he held, “I found Rome of clay; I leave it to pointed of marble,” but to description friends who had stayed pertain to him in his rise set about power he added, “Have Distracted played the part well? Bolster applaud me as I exit.” Soon after that acknowledgement virtuous human frailty, the Roman Convocation officially declared their departed empress, like Julius Caesar before him, to be a 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 Also pressurize Networks

Last Updated

June 12, 2023

Original Publicized Date

November 9, 2009