After years of civil war a young Octavian, finally restored order and stability on an exhausted Roman state. After his victory over Actium in 31 BC, Octavian found himself in control of the Roman Empire. The answer came in the first meeting of the senate when Octavian theatrically relinquished all his powers to the Roman Senate. In exchange for these powers Octavian received a new name, Augustus. In Discourses (III. Xiii. 9) Epictetus tells us, "For you see that Caesar appears to furnish us with great peace. There are no more enemies, nor battles, robbers, or pirates, but we can travel at every hour and sail from the rising sun to the setting." This is the beginning of the era known to historians as Pax Romana or Roman Peace. This period of
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To protect his person, he created his own personal army (Goodman, p. 38), and that the ever-growing empire, paranoia, and expanded army took a toll on the royal treasury. To compensate, Augustus must impose new taxes on overburdened citizen 's (Goodman, p. 40). This certainly caused dissension among the Roman common folk, especially those of lower class. Goodman confirms that historians are delving into the rule of Augustus with renewed focus, and instead of peace, finding the times filled with crisis after crisis. It is my intention to unravel the threads of this time and that of Augustus deeds revealing the emperor’s true motives behind his rule and veiled mannerisms with which he governed. Augustus claimed to have restored the Republican government as it had existed before the civil wars erupted with Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon. In retrospect, it appears that Augustus provided the foundations for the establishment of a new type of government, the absolute rule by a single individual. In other words, a monarchy and what they say of history is true. It is indeed written by the
To protect his person, he created his own personal army (Goodman, p. 38), and that the ever-growing empire, paranoia, and expanded army took a toll on the royal treasury. To compensate, Augustus must impose new taxes on overburdened citizen 's (Goodman, p. 40). This certainly caused dissension among the Roman common folk, especially those of lower class. Goodman confirms that historians are delving into the rule of Augustus with renewed focus, and instead of peace, finding the times filled with crisis after crisis. It is my intention to unravel the threads of this time and that of Augustus deeds revealing the emperor’s true motives behind his rule and veiled mannerisms with which he governed. Augustus claimed to have restored the Republican government as it had existed before the civil wars erupted with Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon. In retrospect, it appears that Augustus provided the foundations for the establishment of a new type of government, the absolute rule by a single individual. In other words, a monarchy and what they say of history is true. It is indeed written by the