Imperial Image - Age of Augustus
Timeline of Augustus’s life:
Political
Military
Family
Building
63 BC - Octavius is born to wealthy family.
44 BC - Julius Caesar is assassinated, Octavius named heir and
inherits fortune.
43BC - Octavius joins Second Triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus.
42 BC - Battle of Philippi, 2nd Triumvirate gain revenge on Julia
Caesars’ assassins (Brutus and Cassius).
41 BC - Resettlement of veteran soldiers.
38 BC - Octavian marries Livia.
37 BC - Mark Anthony marries Cleopatra.
34 BC - Mark Anthony divorces Octavia.
31 BC- Battle of Actium Octavius vs Mark Anthony and Cleopatra,
Octavius wins and becomes sole ruler of Rome - Mark Anthony and
Cleopatra commit suicide.
Octavian gained awards and titles like: ‘Imperator,’ (victorious leader)
‘Divi filius’ (son of the Gods).
30BC – Becomes consul (will be consul from 30BC – 23BC).
29 BC - Senate-house dedicated to Octavian.
28 BC - The First Settlement - restoration of order.
Octavian reduces senate from 1,000 to under 800, then 600 - removing
unworthy members to restore respect.
Resettled 12,000 veterans - with pensions paid.
Grain handouts - keep people happy.
Augustus restores 82 temples.
Temple of Janus closed - era of peace.
Mausoleum of Augustus built.
Actia games honour win at Actium.
27 BC - Octavius denounces title (normalise position), but the Roman
senate protested and gave him the official name of ‘Augustus’ and
proconsular imperium for 10 years - military defence over Spain, Gaul,
ect.
25 BC - Julia and Marcellus get married.
23 BC - Augustus’s heir Marcellus dies.
Fear after a conspiracy against Augustus and Augustus became
desperately ill caused him to give up consulship. Compensated with
tribunician powers (tribunicia potestas) giving him the power to legislate
assembly’s, over magistrates and veto.
, Augustus establishes Praetorian Guard, an elite unit of soldiers tasked
with protecting the emperor.
20 BC - Augustus returns the Roman Standards.
19 BC - Virgil dies.
Start of the Augustalia (Augustian games) - celebrated on October 12th
for Augustus’s return from Asia (standards).
18 BC - Julian laws established.
17 BC - Augustus' stepsons Tiberius and Drusus enter into prominent
military commands.
16 BC - Augustus goes to Spain to pacify Spanish provinces, Drusus and
Tiberius securing Alps and pacify Germanic tribes.
13 BC - Ara Pacis decreed by Senate to celebrate return of Augustus after
3 years in Gaul and Spain and achievements - Altar of Peace.
12 BC - Augustus elected ‘Pontifex maximus’ (priest head).
Agrippa dies.
11 BC - Theatre of Marcellus finished.
9 BC - Ara pacis unveiled.
Altar of Augustus finished.
Failure of Rome against Germanic tribes by rhine, 3 legions destroyed and
Drusus dies.
2 BC - Augustus receives the title of "pater patriae," or "father of the
country"
Forum of Augustus built and Temple of Mars Ultor.
Julia is exiled for being scandalous.
6 AD - Tiberius builds altar for priests to sacrifice numen to Augustus - not
god but close.
12 AD - My guy Lepidus dies, Augustus succeeds as Chief Priest.
14 AD - Augustus dies at the age of 75, Tiberius becomes the new
emperor
Secondary Sources:
E.T Salmon - The Roman World
“The name ‘Augustus’ was one of the honours bestowed on him.”
“Augustus’ claim to have restored the Republic must therefore be
regarded as a piece of propaganda, whose object was to convince men
that he was no more than what he represented himself as being.”
“Avoided any title that might imply that he held some exceptional office.”
Paul Zanker - The Augustan program of Cultural Renewal
“The vast program of temple building, carried out over a period of forty
years.”
“Augustan art has virtually no battle scenes or glorification of the ruler in
the form of animated heavily populated narrative scenes.”
“even the uneducated viewer was indoctrinated in the new visual
program.”
Timeline of Augustus’s life:
Political
Military
Family
Building
63 BC - Octavius is born to wealthy family.
44 BC - Julius Caesar is assassinated, Octavius named heir and
inherits fortune.
43BC - Octavius joins Second Triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus.
42 BC - Battle of Philippi, 2nd Triumvirate gain revenge on Julia
Caesars’ assassins (Brutus and Cassius).
41 BC - Resettlement of veteran soldiers.
38 BC - Octavian marries Livia.
37 BC - Mark Anthony marries Cleopatra.
34 BC - Mark Anthony divorces Octavia.
31 BC- Battle of Actium Octavius vs Mark Anthony and Cleopatra,
Octavius wins and becomes sole ruler of Rome - Mark Anthony and
Cleopatra commit suicide.
Octavian gained awards and titles like: ‘Imperator,’ (victorious leader)
‘Divi filius’ (son of the Gods).
30BC – Becomes consul (will be consul from 30BC – 23BC).
29 BC - Senate-house dedicated to Octavian.
28 BC - The First Settlement - restoration of order.
Octavian reduces senate from 1,000 to under 800, then 600 - removing
unworthy members to restore respect.
Resettled 12,000 veterans - with pensions paid.
Grain handouts - keep people happy.
Augustus restores 82 temples.
Temple of Janus closed - era of peace.
Mausoleum of Augustus built.
Actia games honour win at Actium.
27 BC - Octavius denounces title (normalise position), but the Roman
senate protested and gave him the official name of ‘Augustus’ and
proconsular imperium for 10 years - military defence over Spain, Gaul,
ect.
25 BC - Julia and Marcellus get married.
23 BC - Augustus’s heir Marcellus dies.
Fear after a conspiracy against Augustus and Augustus became
desperately ill caused him to give up consulship. Compensated with
tribunician powers (tribunicia potestas) giving him the power to legislate
assembly’s, over magistrates and veto.
, Augustus establishes Praetorian Guard, an elite unit of soldiers tasked
with protecting the emperor.
20 BC - Augustus returns the Roman Standards.
19 BC - Virgil dies.
Start of the Augustalia (Augustian games) - celebrated on October 12th
for Augustus’s return from Asia (standards).
18 BC - Julian laws established.
17 BC - Augustus' stepsons Tiberius and Drusus enter into prominent
military commands.
16 BC - Augustus goes to Spain to pacify Spanish provinces, Drusus and
Tiberius securing Alps and pacify Germanic tribes.
13 BC - Ara Pacis decreed by Senate to celebrate return of Augustus after
3 years in Gaul and Spain and achievements - Altar of Peace.
12 BC - Augustus elected ‘Pontifex maximus’ (priest head).
Agrippa dies.
11 BC - Theatre of Marcellus finished.
9 BC - Ara pacis unveiled.
Altar of Augustus finished.
Failure of Rome against Germanic tribes by rhine, 3 legions destroyed and
Drusus dies.
2 BC - Augustus receives the title of "pater patriae," or "father of the
country"
Forum of Augustus built and Temple of Mars Ultor.
Julia is exiled for being scandalous.
6 AD - Tiberius builds altar for priests to sacrifice numen to Augustus - not
god but close.
12 AD - My guy Lepidus dies, Augustus succeeds as Chief Priest.
14 AD - Augustus dies at the age of 75, Tiberius becomes the new
emperor
Secondary Sources:
E.T Salmon - The Roman World
“The name ‘Augustus’ was one of the honours bestowed on him.”
“Augustus’ claim to have restored the Republic must therefore be
regarded as a piece of propaganda, whose object was to convince men
that he was no more than what he represented himself as being.”
“Avoided any title that might imply that he held some exceptional office.”
Paul Zanker - The Augustan program of Cultural Renewal
“The vast program of temple building, carried out over a period of forty
years.”
“Augustan art has virtually no battle scenes or glorification of the ruler in
the form of animated heavily populated narrative scenes.”
“even the uneducated viewer was indoctrinated in the new visual
program.”
