Augustus

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Caesar Augustus (September 23, 63 BC – August 19, 14) was the first and one of the most important Roman Emperors. He led Rome into the first stages of becoming the mightiest empire the world had ever seen.

Octavius Augustus Caesar was the adopted son of the great dictator of the Roman Republic, Gaius Julius Caesar. Octavian came into power in the second triumvirate (3 men ruling as one body over the Roman Republic), along with Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) and Lepidus. Augustus and Antonius were loyal to Julius Caesar, the assassinated dictator, killed in 44 BC. Following his death a civil war broke out across Rome, between those loyal to Caesar, and those loyal to Caesar's rival Pompey. There was short break in the war during the rule of the triumvirate, but Lepidus' death, and Mark Antony's staying in Egypt with Cleopatra, only resulted in further bloodshed.

After winning this bloody power struggle, Octavian was voted as the first Emperor of Rome by the Senate following the battle of Actium in 31 BC, and he took the name "Augustus". He ruled until AD 14, when his stepson and son-in-law Tiberius became Emperor in his place.

During his reign, those who were against his government were mass murdered in the thousands. He had promised to make Rome a Republic again, but instead proclaimed himself with more titles including Chief Priest, and many temples in the provinces set up statues of him as one of their gods. The name of the month "August" in English and most other European languages comes from him.