Augustus

Legend has it that Rome was founded by the two demigod brothers, Romulus and Remus. They were sons of Rhea Silvia, daughter of King Numitor of the mythical city, Alba Longa. She was impregnated by Mars, the war god. Her brother ordered Romulus and Remus to be drowned, but the survived and washed up on the shore of Palatine Hill. They were raised by a she-wolf and then found by the shepherd, Faustulus. They learned who they really were and went back to Alba Long and killed Rhea’s brother.…

The Pax Romana was two centuries of peace and prosperity under imperial rule, expansion and solidification of Roman Empire. The civil service of Rome hired people to work in paid government jobs. Under Augustus during Pax Romana roads were built, secured travel and trade, common coinage, magnificent public buildings. The economic impact of the Pax Romana established a uniform system of money, which helped to expand trade, guaranteed safe travel and trade, promoted prosperity and stability. The…

The Aeneid was then written in a time of great political and cultural change, as the established political order is replaced by an emperor. Ovid himself states, “...and the exiled Aeneas, the beginnings of lofty Rome: no Latin work is more famous.” (Ovid. Ars Amatoria. 3.337-38. in Solodow 110) He shows that to many, and certainly in his mind, the Aeneid is a fundamental text to the Romans. This is because any text that becomes vastly famous in a culture not only adds to that culture, but shows…

much of the technology the Romans possessed, the Romans implement and perfected it and made their Army stronger and more efficient. Part of the reason the Roman Empire was so powerful is because of their strong leaders. The greatest of them being Augustus Cesar. Military leaders hold the soul of the soldiers, it’s up to them to keep morale high and keep the Soldiers fierce. One thing I can’t understand about the Roman Empire is why they decided to make their empire, so massive. The empire grew…

into the Roman Empire. Without this morph in government, Ancient Roman culture as it is known to the modern world never would have existed. This is because the Pax Romana, during which Roman culture really developed, would not have been started by Augustus if Julius Caesar had not first set the groundwork for the Republic to become the Empire. The Republic before Caesar was a volatile and unstable place, and Caesar brought it out of this state. Although the Roman Republic seemed as if it was…

conquests caused political and social problems in the Republic that led to its eventual downfall. In 46 B.C.E. Rome became a dictatorship under the ruler Julius Caesar until his assassination in 44 B.C.E. His successor Octavian went on to become Augustus the first emperor of Rome. The seeds of democracy had been planted in the…

Rome and Persia were both successful empires, but they were both very different in the way their empires worked and expanded. There were some similarities the empires shared such as conquering vast amounts of land, political advancements, and bureaucracy. Despite these similarities, there were much more differences with these two empires. One of the reasons Rome expanded was because of its disciplined military. They could also support their big population with the military, and in their…

“What we do now echoes in eternity,” is something the most philosophical man I know said. On March 17, 180 the last of the Five Good Emperors passed away. I know that what Marcus Aurelius did for Rome will echo in eternity. I was lucky enough to meet him during the Parthian War, where I was his soldier. He was born on the 26 of April in 121. He rose through the ranks of Rome under the rule of Piua. He grew up in a distinguished, Spanish family. His grandfather was a consulate and was city…

many dictators before him, Octavian would adopt the name Princep (first citizen). He was later given the religious title, Augustus (“the illustrious one”) in 27 BC by the Senate. During his rule, he started a Foriegn Affairs Program that handled foreign affairs, money, crime, and fires. He also started the first police force and fire department to regulate crime and fires. Augustus also created a stockpile of food, water, and other supplies for the poor people of Rome. In addition to his other…

In ancient Rome, military leaders had certain expectations placed on them from society and the government. The Gallic War, was used as propaganda for Caesar as a military leader, but also gives readers insight into Roman culture. The Gallic War chronicles Julius Caesar’s campaigns from 58-51 BCE. He was later assassinated by his alleged friends in 44 BCE. He had an alliance with Pompey and Crassus called the First Triumvirate, which controlled Roman government over the span of numerous years.…