Evaluate Augustus’ Relations with the Senate

While Cicero’s personal account on the matter cannot be trusted as an accurate representation for all of Rome’s views, it can provide insight into the perspective of an aristocratic Roman or a Senator of the time. By making changes and showing disregard for mos maiorum, Caesar weakened the political structure and strength of the senate (Lewis and Reinhold. 1990:306). The Optimate party feared that with his increasing power the senate would be disregarded and a monarchy would soon be

A republic, like Rome, moves at a maddeningly slow pace. Legislation is put through a system of checks and balances where rivals debate ad nauseum over proposed policies. In a perfect world, this ensures that only which is most beneficial for the state and her peoples becomes a reality. A Tyrant, however, can accomplish a great deal in only a short amount of time. A good leader, like Augustus, can propel his people forward unhindered by the chains of a republic. The Roman people, according to Tacitus: “prefered the security of the current regime to the dangers of old” (Yardley 2008, 3). Even if it lacked freedom, many were willing to submit to an empire if it meant stability and security.

power was quick and it was believed by many on his senate that concerning the good of Rome,

The Effectiveness of Octavian in Enlisting Senatorial Support for his New Administration in the Period 30 to 19 BC.

The base of the Roman Republic’s political system was the Assemblies in which Roman males would pass laws, elect Magistrates, and perform ceremonial duties. They had the power to approve or disapprove the Senate’s policies. In the empire, Augustus became a perpetual Tribune. He alone had the power to approve or veto laws.

Throughout his life, Augustus, the first emperor of Rome and self-proclaimed “restorer of the Republic”, sought to improve society. After a disastrous century of disorder, internal turmoil and a political system that was ultimately unsatisfactory for the empire, Augustus attempted to formulate a new Roman government and way of life. He believed that the degradation of Rome was due in large part to a “breakdown in religious tradition as well as political and moral order. Old rites had been forgotten, old temples were allowed to crumble in neglect, and the gods were angry with this”. Augustus attempted to renew peace and stability in Rome through political and

After the fall of Tarquinius Superbus’ reign of Rome, the Brutus and Collatinus led patrician revolution leads to the beginning of a new era in Roman history: the republic. The early republic is mostly a patrician favoring institute and created it in order “to restore power and privileges that popular royal tyrants had usurped from them” and to make it “difficult for any one aristocrat to acquire too much power at the expense of the rest” (Ward 59). Greek historian, Polybius, in his book, Histories, talks about the greatness of this Roman republic and its constitution by claiming: “Now the elements by which the Roman constitution was controlled were three in number, … and all aspects of the administration were, taken separately, so fairly

To change an empire from a Republic to a Monarchy, is in itself a great achievement, but to be that one man that successfully changes the way of old to the original form of state is an amazing fete. The will to achieve this, and the desire must be great and you must truly be remarkable, although in saying that, having your forefathers pave the way, assist in reaching that goal. This is what Augustus achieved, he became greatest man in Rome, the highest achievement one might endeavour, outdoing his forefathers. He played the game of Roman politics against some of the greatest minds, brilliantly and shaped what is now known as the “Great Roman Empire”.

He consolidated power into his and his supporter’s hands, with elections being contested between Caesar’s clients and the Offices of the State becoming part of his patronage. Established Senators would have been irked by these changes as their prestige and power in Rome was diluted, no longer were they able to control the happenings in the Republic. Caesar received many honours, titles and positions, which I will elaborate on in the section on his growing autocracy, that increased his dominance over the politics of Rome. The long held balance of power had been usurped by Caesar, who the Senate, filled with his supporters, had lavished

     Augustus received the tribuncian power for life and assumed the role of protector of the Roman people. He also received the right to intervene in those provinces administered by the Senate. The backbone of Augustus’ power came from being Imperium of the military. It was of great importantance

The rule of Augustus was coming to an end. Augustus's health was quickly failing. Agustus

The saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” can be exceptionally verifiable when viewing historic images. This is especially true with Augustus as Imperator considering it recalls the immense struggles Augustus Caesar endured while securing the title of emperor. The image Augustus as Imperator depicts Augustus Caesar during a period of paramount success, accentuates his anatomical proportions as Emperor, and signifies his success during the reform of the Roman Empire.

In this section I will be analysing how Octavian/Augustus rose to become the first Emperor of Rome and his reign thereafter. I will also be looking at how he gained his position and what being and

Julius Caesar is perhaps the most well known in the history of Roman Emperors, yet there is no denying that his reign was filled with controversy, no reason more so than his devious rise to power and his mischievous ways of suppressing the senate. There is no doubt that in ruling as a Dictator; Caesar lost the support of the Roman people, who had fought for freedom against an Etruscan King, a role in which Caesar was playing. His death in 44BC coincided with what many believe to be the year in which the Republic completely its eventual ‘fall’ that it had been plummeting to since 133BC, and it is only by looking at the differences in the end of his reign to that of Augustus’ in 27BC that

Augustus is arguably the single most important figure in Roman history. In the course of his long and spectacular career, he put an end to the advancing decay of the Republic and established a new basis for Roman government that was to stand for three centuries. This system, termed the "Principate," was far from flawless, but it provided the Roman Empire with a series of rulers who presided over the longest period of unity, peace, and prosperity that Western Europe, the Middle East and the North African seaboard have known in their entire recorded history. Even if the rulers themselves on occasion left much to be desired, the scale of Augustus 's achievement in establishing the system cannot be overstated. Aside from the immense importance of Augustus 's reign from the broad historical perspective, he himself is an intriguing figure: at once tolerant and implacable, ruthless and forgiving, brazen and tactful. Clearly a man of many facets, he underwent three major political reinventions in his lifetime and negotiated the stormy and dangerous seas of the last phase of the Roman Revolution with skill and foresight. With Augustus established in power and with the Principate firmly rooted, the internal machinations of the imperial household provide a fascinating glimpse into the one issue that painted this otherwise gifted organizer and politician into a corner from which he could find no easy exit: the problem of the succession. [[1]]