Death of Augustus
The Death of Augustus marks a significant event in Roman history, occurring on August 19, A.D. 14. Augustus, born Octavian on September 23, 63 B.C., was the first Roman emperor and played a crucial role in transitioning Rome from a Republic to an Empire during the Pax Romana, a period characterized by stability and prosperity. His reign, which lasted over 40 years, followed the tumultuous years of civil wars and power struggles that plagued the late Republic, notably the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.
As a skilled military leader, Augustus secured his position by defeating notable rivals, including Mark Antony and Cleopatra, at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. He then consolidated power and initiated extensive public works, patronized the arts, and fortified Rome's military presence, albeit with limited expansionist campaigns. The defeat of Roman forces in A.D. 9 at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest was a notable military setback during his rule. Upon his death, Augustus was succeeded by his stepson Tiberius, marking the beginning of a dynastic succession that would shape the Roman Empire for centuries to come. The legacy of Augustus is evident in the enduring structures and systems he established, which laid the groundwork for imperial governance in Rome.
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Death of Augustus
Death of Augustus
The Roman emperor Augustus, who ruled during the period of history known as the Pax Romana, died on August 19, a.d. 14. Born Octavian on September 23, 63 b.c., during his long rule he gave Rome decades of much-needed peace, stability, and prosperity.
By the first century b.c., the Roman Republic was centuries old and commanded a sprawling empire throughout the Mediterranean world. Its roots went back to the dawn of Roman civilization, when the Roman people overthrew their kings and instituted a limited democracy somewhat influenced by the Greeks. However, despite its expansion, the Republic was weakened by civil wars, slave rebellions, and unrest among the peoples whom the Romans had conquered over the centuries. Ambitious and powerful politicians, generals, aristocrats, and wealthy men of commerce were vying for control over the decaying Republic. Real power was falling into the hands of the generals who led Rome's legions, and the political ambitions of these generals and other powerful leaders would eventually lead to the destruction of the Republic. The most famous of these early generals and leaders was Julius Caesar, who was assassinated in 44 b.c.
After Caesar's death, the struggle for power continued. One of the major contenders was Octavian, Caesar's grand-nephew whom he had made his adopted son and heir. Octavian had entered military life as a young man. By 31 b.c. he had become an outstanding general, and he defeated his last major opponents, the Roman general Mark Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, at the naval Battle of Actium on September 2, 31 b.c., off the coast of Greece. Afterward, Octavian was able to consolidate power and make himself the first emperor of Rome in 27 b.c., although he did not formally take this title until four years later. Octavian also took the name of Augustus (revered one), which had been granted to him by the submissive Roman Senate.
Augustus ruled for over 40 years until his death on August 19, a.d. 14. He spent lavishly on public works and had many fine marble buildings constructed as well. He also strengthened the army and its legions but embarked on only a handful of ambitious new campaigns. Augustus was content to guard the frontiers and expand in a few minor places. His biggest military crisis was the defeat of Roman forces in western Germany at the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in a.d. 9 at the hands of the native German tribes. Afterward the Romans largely retreated to the Rhine River, which they eventually adopted as their permanent border with Germany. Augustus also sponsored many public games and was a patron of the arts, both of which helped keep the citizens of Rome content under his rule. By the time of his death, the Republic was largely a memory. Tiberius, Augustus's stepson, succeeded him as the next in a long line of emperors that would last for centuries even after the Roman Empire split into its eastern and western halves.