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Augustus (Octavian) Augustus (Octavian) After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Rome was plunged into civil war. This civil war would divide Rome for 13 years after which Octavian would emerge as the unquestioned victor. Octavian was born in 63 BC and his great uncle was Julius Caesar. Caesar had appointed Octavian to a high military position at the age of 19 in 44BC, shortly before his assassination. He and two others formed the second triumvirate to defeat the assassins of Caesar. The triumvirate split the Republic into three parts and ruled their individual sections. Eventually Octavian would defeat the other two members of the triumvirate and take power. In 27 BC the Senate awarded the title of Augustus, which means “highly respected,” to Octavian. Augustus’ first acts were begun to show the prosperity of his reign. He began a series of projects with the intention to make Rome more beautiful and safer. Augustus began by building new statues, theaters and an outdoor arena, or forum. He restored 82 temples and built the famous Pantheon as a temple to all the Gods of Rome. Augustus had two new aqueducts, or water channels built and repaired the city’s water system. To improve safety, he created a police force and a fire department. So impressed by his own accomplishments, Augustus claimed “I found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble.” In addition to building projects, Augustus also worked to improve the quality of life in Rome. He placed a new emphasis on learning and the arts building Rome’s first library. Augustus encouraged many of Rome’s aristocracy to patronize – provide financial support for – writers and artists. During this time, writers such as Virgil, Horace and the historian Livy produced their greatest works. As the first Roman emperor (though he never claimed the title for himself), Augustus led Rome’s transformation from republic to empire during the tumultuous years following the assassination of his great-uncle and adoptive father Julius Caesar. He shrewdly combined military might, institution-building and lawmaking to become Rome's sole ruler, laying the foundations of the 200-year Pax Romana (Roman Peace) and an empire that lasted, in various forms, for nearly 1,500 years. During his 40-years reign, Augustus nearly doubled the size of the empire, adding territories in Europe and Asia Minor and securing alliances that gave him effective rule from Britain to India. http://www.history.com/topics/emperor-augustus During the first century CE, the northern boarder of the empire was threatened by Germanic tribes. Romans spent several years defending the attacks from the Germans. Eventually, the Romans appeared to have a decisive victory. Augustus was so sure of the success that he organized the territory near the Elbe River into a province. Once a province, Augustus appointed a governor to lead the province. In 7 CE he appointed he appointed Quinitilius Varus (kwin-TIL-ee-uss Var-uss) as the governor. Varus was an arrogant and brutal man who treated the people of the territory as if they were Roman slaves. They were heavily taxed and not allowed many of the privileges of other Roman provinces. In 9 CE, two years later, a huge army of Germanic tribes surrounded the Roman troops completely wiping them out. It was the worst Roman defeat in 200 years with a loss of 15,000 soldiers. The Germans remained a strong force on the northern border and Augustus withdrew his forces back to the empire’s previous border. The Germans will remain a dangerous force on the northern border for many years. .
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