In 31 BC e. Octavian Augustus, a Roman consul and a member of the triumvirate who ruled earlier, seized all power, becoming the sole owner of a vast empire. This event put an end to the nearly 500-year history of the Roman Republic and was the beginning of the establishment of an unlimited dictatorship in it.
Wealthy heir
The future Roman emperor Octavian Augustus (at birth - Gaius Octavius Furin) came from a privileged estate called “equites” (horsemen). His ancestors once engaged in banking operations, and thereby laid the foundation for the welfare of their descendants. Despite the wealth that belonged to him, the Octaviev clan did not belong to the Roman elite, and subsequently political opponents of the emperor reproached him for the lack of a proper genealogy.
The date of birth of Octavian Augustus is considered September 23, 63 BC. e., so, at least, claimed his contemporary - the ancient Roman historian Guy Suetonius, but the exact place of birth is unknown, but it is generally accepted that this happened in the capital of the empire. When the future dictator was barely 5 years old, his father (also Guy), who was then acting as governor of Macedonia, died, and his mother remarried, this time to the consul Lucius Philippe.
Under the auspices of Caesar
Since that time, young Octavian was given up to his maternal grandmother, who was the sister of Emperor Guy Julius Caesar (pictured below). This played a decisive role in his life. When, after a few years, the ruler of the empire returned from the Gallic War and met his young nephew, he was struck by the level of knowledge that he was able to acquire under the guidance of the best teachers in the capital. Anticipating the successor of his affairs in him, the emperor adopted the young man, opening up unlimited prospects for him. In addition, he made a will, according to which the new-born stepson was to receive most of his inheritance.
Having made friends with the great Caesar, Octavian Augustus, despite his youth, became a very influential figure in Rome, many dignitaries sought his protection. According to the legislation that existed at that time, imperial power was not inherited, and it was possible to obtain it only by winning the popular elections. However, becoming Caesar's stepson, Octavian gained support from the Roman army, who deified his ruler. Subsequently, this became a decisive factor in the struggle for power.
Money bought
When in March 44 BC e. Julius Caesar was killed by the conspirators, his stepson was in Greece, where he was preparing to head the legions, sent to war with Dacia. Over him, despite the support from the army, there was a danger of becoming a victim of the struggle for power. Nevertheless, Octavian Augustus found the courage to appear in Rome, he was able to consistently conduct a number of events that helped strengthen his authority among the population.
In particular, from the inheritance he received, each citizen of Rome was given a hefty sum - 300 sisters, who were supposedly intended for this purpose by the murdered emperor. Such generosity put Octavian on the brink of ruin, but made her a universal idol, while the main contender for the imperial throne - Mark Anthony - was sorely losing its popularity. Then he began to be called Guy Octavian Augustus Caesar.
Create Ruling Triumvirate
Taking advantage of his popularity, he went to the south of Italy and, gathering there an army of thousands of opponents from his rival Anthony and his supporters, he moved it to Rome. Thus began the civil war, culminating in the victory of Octavian in the battle of the city of Mutin (why the name went - Mutin war).
However, very soon yesterday’s opponents were forced to unite to fight a common enemy - the Republican Party, which was gaining more and more strength in Rome and intended to return the country to its previous form of government. Octavian and Anthony found support in the person of Consul Mark Lepidus, creating a government body that learned the name of the Second Triumvirate. Together, they inflicted a crushing defeat on the defenders of freedom of Rome, destroying more than 300 senators, about 2,000 horsemen and a huge number of ordinary soldiers who took their side. Their last victims were the recent killers of Caesar - Brutus and Cassius.
The beginning of the war with Mark Anthony
The triumvirate ended his victory over the Republicans by dividing the territories subordinated to Rome. Octavian Augustus became the ruler of Italy and all European colonies, Anthony took control of Asia, and Lepidus inherited Africa, but he was soon forced to secede from power, losing it to more energetic competitors. At the same time, not wanting to remain in the role of only co-ruler of the state and dreaming of the imperial throne, stepson Julius Caesar significantly strengthened his popularity among the troops by distributing to them all confiscated lands.
On the path to sole power, he was helped by the reckless behavior of Anthony (pictured above), who, falling under the female spell of the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra, began to give Roman provinces to her children. This caused a wave of indignation in Italy, which Octavian did not fail to take advantage of. Inspiring people with patriotic speeches and enlisting the support of the army, he declared war on the insidious Egyptian woman and her lover.
Establishment of Sole Government
For Anthony and Cleopatra, this turn of events ended in disaster. Their joint fleet was defeated in the battle of Actium, held in 31 BC. uh, and they themselves, in order to avoid shame, committed suicide. The return of Octavian to Rome resulted in a real triumph, to which multi-day celebrations were dedicated.
Having done away with Anthony, Octavian became the sole ruler of Rome, but he was faced with a choice as to which form of government to choose - republican or monarchical. After some hesitation, he settled on the second option, thereby putting an end to the almost 500-year-old Roman Republic.
Fearing the discontent of the masses, Octavian retained some state institutions, such as the Senate, popular assemblies, independent courts, and some others, but at the same time he occupied a number of key administrative posts. Gradually asserting his power and ending the opposition, he became emperor - the sole and sovereign master of the Great Roman Empire.
"Father of the Fatherland"
Contemporaries of the Roman emperor Octavian Augustus, as well as historians of subsequent centuries, argued that with his further activities he contributed a lot to the development and prosperity of the state. The scope of his personal intervention was unusually broad, it included issues related to various areas of life. It is known that Octavian, who was the author of many laws that were progressive for his time, was able to significantly improve public morals and improve discipline in the army.
During the reign of Octavian Augustus, the number of colonies of the Roman Empire increased and, accordingly, the influx of tribute coming from them increased, which could not but affect the general well-being of citizens. For the tireless patronage of science and art, the Senate honored its ruler with the honorary title of "father of the fatherland" and named the 8th month of the year in his honor as August. As you know, this name has survived for centuries, surviving to this day.
Emperor Foreign Policy
The period of the reign of Emperor Octavian Augustus was filled with numerous wars in which he personally led the army only once, during the Spanish campaign. In most cases, this mission was assigned to his commanders Druze and Tiberius. He made the latter by will as his legal successor.
The Roman army, which at that time was the most powerful military force in the world, managed for some time even to make Germany a part of its European colonies. As for such peoples of the ancient world as the Illyrian, Pannonian, Alpine and Gali tribes, they remained under the rule of Rome until its final fall in the 4th century.
Sad ending to life
It seemed that fate, having poured out all his bounties on Octavian Augustus Caesar, turned his life into an endless celebration. However, this was far from the case. The luck that accompanied him in political affairs and military campaigns, fatally combined with the sorrow that emanated from the bowels of his family. Having received full power, the emperor established the law of succession, in accordance with which he had the right to appoint his successor. And without waiting for the birth of his son, he had hopes for his grandchildren - Guy and Lucius, the nephew of Druze. However, all three died in his youth, leaving him no opportunity to become the founder of the ruling dynasty.
But most of all grief for Octavian was caused by his wife Agrippa and daughter Julia, who became famous throughout the empire for their unheard of debauchery. Even with those extremely loose morals that reigned in Roman society, these ladies managed to cross all conceivable and unthinkable boundaries, making the emperor a laughing stock in the eyes of the people.
Desperate to somehow influence them, the unfortunate husband and father decided to retire to one of the Mediterranean provinces in order to relax and improve their nerves, but fell ill along the way and died on August 19, 14. So in the 45th year of the reign ended the era of Octavian Augustus Caesar, which put an end to republican rule in the country and marked the birth of the cult of the emperor.