Augustus
(Octavian)
63 B.C.-14 A.D.
The great-nephew and adopted son
of Julius Caesar,
Octavian rose to power when he inherited Julius
Caesar's name and foretune at the age of nineteen.
He joined forces with Marc Antony
and Lepidus to form the Second Triumvirate and to defeat the Republican
forces of Brutus and
Cassius. With Lepidus "removed", Octavian clashed with Antony in a Civil War which
left Octavian sole ruler of Rome in 31 B.C. Unlike his great-uncle Caesar, Octavian (who adopted
the honorific name Augustus) knew how to rule without offending the Senate,
which allowed him to hold power for the next forty-five years and pass it
on to his adpoted step-son at his death. Augustus was the first Emperor
of Rome, and possibly the greatest.
Student Work:
Student Creative Writing:
Ancient Source: Suetonius' Lives
of the Twelve Caesars (Vita Divi Augusti)
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