Difference between revisions of "Augustus (by Samuele Rocca)"

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*This page is edited by [[Samuele Rocca]], Israel
#REDIRECT [[:Category:Augustus (subject)]]
*SCHOLARLY AND FICTIONAL WORKS: see [[:Category:Augustus (subject)]]
*ANCIENT SOURCES: see [[Augustus (sources)]]
 
 
[http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Statue-Augustus.jpg/400px-Statue-Augustus.jpg Augustus] (63 BCE - 14 CE) was the first Roman Emperor, from 27 BCE to 14 CE.
 
==Overview==
 
Augustus was the founder of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, followed by [[:Category:Tiberius (subject)|Tiberius]].
 
====Early Years====
 
Augustus was born in Rome (or Velletri) on September 23, 63 BCE with the name Gaius Octavius. His mother, Atia, was the niece of [[Julius Caesar]]. In 59 BCE, when he was four years old, his father died. He was brought up by his mother and his stepfather, [[Lucius Marcius Philippus]]. In 52 or 51 BCE, Octavius delivered the funeral oration for his grandmother Julia, elder sister of Caesar. In 46 BCE, Octavius joined [[Julius Caesar]] in Hispania.
 
====The [[Second Triumvirate]]====
 
After Caesar’murder in 44 BCE, Octavius sailed to Italia, where he learnt of the contents of Caesar's will. Caesar had adopted his great-nephew Octavius as his son and main heir. Thus Octavius assumed the name Gaius Julius Caesar. Roman tradition dictated that he also append the surname Octavianus. Octavian, [[Mark Antony]] and [[Marcus Aemilius Lepidus]] formed a junta called the [[Second Triumvirate]], an explicit grant of special powers lasting five years and supported by law. The triumvirs then set in motion proscriptions. [[Mark Antony]] and [[Octavian]] then marched against [[Marcus Junius Brutus]] and [[Gaius Cassius Longinus]], who had fled to [[Greece]]. After two battles at [[Philippi]] in [[Macedonia]], the Caesarian army was victorious and [[Marcus Junius Brutus]] and [[Gaius Cassius Longinus]]committed suicide in 42 BCE. After the battle, a new arrangement was made between the members of the Second Triumvirate: while [[Octavian]] returned to Rome, [[Mark Antony]] went to [[Egypt]] where he allied himself with Queen [[Cleopatra VII]]. [[Marcus Aemilius Lepidus]] went on to govern [[Hispania]] and the province of [[Africa]]. [[Octavian]], governed Italy. In 41-40 BCE he fought the so-called [[Perugine War]] against [[Lucius Antonius]], [[Mark Antony]]'s brother. He also had to fight against the son of [[Pompey]], [[Sextus Pompeius]], who controlled the grain supply of [[Sicily]] and [[Sardinia]] and was defeated at [[Naulochos]] in 36 BCE. [[Octavian]] gave his sister, [[Octavia Minor]], in marriage to [[Mark Antony]] in 40 BC. During their marriage, [[Octavia Minor]] gave birth to two daughters, known as [[Antonia Major]] and [[Antonia Minor]]. In 37 BCE, [[Mark Antony]] deserted [[Octavia Minor]] and went back to [[Egypt]] to be with [[Cleopatra VII]]. The Roman dominions were then divided between [[Octavian]] in the West and [[Mark Antony]] in the East. Finally, in 32 BCE, the senate officially declared war on [[Cleopatra VII]], "the Foreign Queen", to avoid the stigma of yet another civil war. The army of [[Mark Anthony]] and [[Cleopatra VII]] was defeated at [[Actium]] in 32 BCE. [[Octavian]] was assisted by [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa]]. [[Mark Antony]] and [[Cleopatra VII]] also committed suicide.
 
====Augustan Ideology====
 
[[Augustus]] saw himself as the liberator and the restorer of the res publica from the tyranny of the factions, the political struggle between the Senatorial order and the equestrian order and the plebes, that led to bloody civil wars.His policy was a policy of balance between the opposing aristocracy or optimates on one side, and the equites and the lower classes or populares on the other. [[Augustus]] in the Italic tradition of the Roman patrician aristocracy, was thus the patronus of an oecumenical clientela, that included both the Roman people represented in all the classes, and the provincials and allies of Rome. Their relationship was ruled by the respect of the fides, or sanctified pacts. Augustus position inside the Roman political system evolved slowly. At the beginning of his rule [[Augustus]] was primus inter pares: he directed but did not dominate the Roman political system, which remained unchanged. The consuls, for example were still elected by the comitia, or the popular assemblies, although the wishes of Augustus were clear to all. His political foes could still act freely. Most of his political enemies were followers of [[Julius Caesar]] and later of [[Mark Anthony]], as [[Gaius Asinio Pollio]] and [[Caius Sosius]]. [[Augustus]] needs them, and they are included in his political system, often as magistrates. Towards the end of his rule Augustus however, although in theory still primus inter pares, directed and dominated the Roman political system as an absolute ruler. This system had thus become a veiled autocracy, the principatus; The comitia are no more called to elect the various magistrates, who are cooptated by [[Augustus]].
 
====[[Octavianus]] becomes [[Augustus]]====
 
[[Augustus]]’ position in the [[Roman Republic]] after the conclusion of the civil wars evolved in two main phases, the constitutional settlements of 27 BCE and of 23 BCE. In 27 BCE the Senate bestowed on [[Octavianus]] the honorary title of [[Augustus]]. [[Augustus]] was princeps senatus, or the most important member of the Senate, with the greatest influence on the legislative body of the Roman Republic. He was also consul, thus he dominated the most important executive magistrature of the [[Roman Republic]]. [[Augustus]] legal position follows strictly the Patrician - Senatorial tradition of political power of the optimates, or the nobility, to which [[Augustus]] belong. [[Augustus]] was also [[Imperator]], in command of the Roman Army, which he transformed definitely in a professional force, faithful to his commander, not to the Roman state. As [[Imperator]], [[Augustus]] had the imperium pro consolare on the Imperial provinces of the Empire, where the army is stationed. In 23 BCE [[Augustus]] received from the Senate the tribunicia potestas, or tribunal power for life, without being a tribunus plebis. This position meant too that [[Augustus]] was inviolable. In this position [[Augustus]] represented both the equites and the lower classes or populares, following the tradition of the struggle for their political rights begun by demagogical leaders as the Gracchi, continued by [[Gaius Marius]] and of course [[Julius Caesar]]. Although the Senatorial aristocracy dominated the state, [[Augustus]] creates also an equestrian career for the equites in the army and in his administration. In 19 BCE [[Augustus]] received from the Senate consular power for life, imperium consulare, without assuming the consulate and the duties connected to the supreme magistrature; Thus [[Augustus]] had the same powers of the consuls, without every year being elected as such, and he could control their nominations. In 12 BCE [[Augustus]] was elected [[Pontifex Maximus]], or head of the state Roman religion for life. In [[Italy]], [[Augustus]] implemented a series of administrative reforms, dividing the country in eleven districts, or regiones. Around 7 BCE [[Augustus]] divided [[Italy]] into eleven regiones.
 
====[[Augustus]] Foreign Policy====
 
[[Augustus]] foreign policy was quite successful. It was characterized by expansion and conquests in the West. In 27-25 BCE the provinces of [[Gallia]] and [[Hispania]] were reorganized. In 16-13 BCE [[Augustus]] was in [[Gallia]]. He divided [[Gallia]] in the Provinces of [[Aquitania]], [[Lugdunensis]] and [[Belgica]]. Soon [[Augustus]] began a policy of conquests in the West. In 15 BCE the Roman armies under [[Tiberius]] and [[Drusus]] advanced to the upper Danube. The provinces of [[Raetia]] and [[Noricum]] were created. In 13-9 BCE [[Pannonia]] was conquered by [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa]] and [[Tiberius]]: the Middle Danube was reached. Afterwards the Roman armies advance to the Elbe in four campaigns. In 12-9 BCE [[Drusus]] did lead various campaigns in [[Germania]]. In 8-6 BCE [[Tiberius]] did lead further campaigns in [[Germania]]. Once more in 4 CE [[Tiberius]] was given command in [[Germania]] in a succesfull war against the [[Marcomanni]]. Yet the last years were less successful. Only in 6-9 CE. [[Pannonia]] became a Roman Province, after a revolt. In 6 CE the defeat of [[Publius Quinctilius Varus]] in [[Germania]] brought the Roman expansion to an end. Yet, by the end of his reign, the Roman Empire reached by then the Rhine – Danube borders. In the East, after the conquest of [[Egypt]], [[Galatia]] was annexed after King [[Amyntas]] death. In 20 BCE [[Augustus]] reached a peaceful understanding with King [[Phraates IV]] of [[Parthia]], who returned the standards captured to [[Marcus Licinius Crassus]] at [[Carrahae]]. Generally, speaking, [[Augustus]] preferred to leave most of the areas under allied rulers, as [[Herod the Great]] in [[Judaea]], and [[Rhoemetalces I]]in [[Thracia]].
 
====The Problem of Succession====
 
The problem of [[Augustus]]’ succession came to the forefront already in 23 BCE. His first heir was [[Marcellus]], the son of his sister, who married [[Julia the Elder]]’s [[Augustus]] daughter. After the death of [[Marcellus]], [[Julia the Elder]] was married to [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa]]. Their sons included [[Gaius Caesar]] and [[Lucius Caesar]]. Then, [[Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa]] was granted a five-year term of administering the eastern half of the Empire with the imperium of a proconsul and the same tribunicia potestas granted to [[Augustus]]. [[Agrippa]] died in 12 BCE. [[Gaius Caesar]] and [[Lucius Caesar]], however, did not survive Augustus and died [[Lucius Caesar]] in 2 and [[Gaius Caesar]] in 4 CE. In 4 CE, [[Augusus]] adopted [[Tiberius]], who eventually succeeded him as ruler at [[Augustus]]’s death in 14 CE.
 
==[[Augustus]], the Jews and [[Judaea]]==
 
Augustus continued the friendly policy of his uncle, [[Julius Caesar]], toward the Jews. Thus Augustus, recognized the Jewish communities as a collegia licita, with various privileges, following the [[Lex Iulia de Collegiis]], dated to 7 BCE. Later Catacomb inscriptions, mainly from Monteverde, record the existence of five collegia, or Jewish communities in Augustan Rome, the [[Synagogue of the Hebrews]], the [[Synagogue of the Augustenses]], the [[Synagogue of the Agrippaeans]], the [[Synagogue of the Herodians]], and the [[Synagogue of Volumnius]]. It seems that circa 8000 Jews lived in Rome at the time of Augustus, on the main concentratted in the Suburra and, according to Philo, in the Transtiberim area (Regio XIV). [[Augustus]] was involved with [[Judaea]] from 30 BCE, when at [[Rhodes]] confirmed to [[Herod]] the territories he previously held and gave him back those given by [[Mark Anthony]] to [[Cleopatra VII]]. King [[Herod the Great]] proved to be a loyal ally of the Emperor, the perfect model of the rex - cliens and socius et amicus populi romani. Thus [[Augustus]] gave him in 23-22 BCE the Districts of [[Trachonitis]], [[Batanaea]] and [[Auranitis]]. Later in 20 BCE [[Augustus]], while in in [[Syria]] presents [[Herod]] with the territory of [[Zenodorus]]. On the other side in 27-25 BCE Herod send 500 soldiers to [[Aelius Gallus]], Praefectus of [[Egypt]] in his campaign against Arabia. Moreover [[Herod]] named after [[Augustus]] the cities of [[Sebaste]] in 25 BCE and [[Caesarea Maritima]] founded in 23 BCE and dedicated in 10 BCE. He also named the monumental wings of his palaces, Auguseum and Agrippeum.
 
Herod visited Augustus in Rome thrice, in 18-17 BCE, in 12 BCE, and in 10 BCE. Herod's sons and heirs [[Alexander]] and [[Aristobulus]] in fact went to Rome to complete their education. In 6 BCE, [[Antipater]] as well went to Rome. When [[Herod]] died in 4 BCE, his kingdom was divided among three of his sons--[[Herod Archelaus]] (etnarch of Judea), [[Herod Antipas]] (tetrarch of Galilee and Perea), and [[Herod Philip]] (tetrarch). Things did not go smoothly. In Judaea a serious revolt had to be quelled. [[Herod Archelaus]] bid to the throne was supported by [[Nicolaus of Damascus]], but opposed by a Jewish delegation from [[Judaea]] and by [[Herod Antipas]]. Augustus in Rome hear all the deputations, and then confirmed [[Herod testament]]. In 6 CE, [[Herod Archelaus]] was deposed and [[Judea]] became a Roman province. In 6 CE Judaea became a Roman Province, governed by a praefectus under the aegis of the governor of Syria. It is in 6-7 CE, that [[Publius Sulpicius Quirinus]] made the well - known census, in occasion of the annexion of Judaea. Augustus appointed the first three governors of the region--[[Coponius]] (6-9 CE), [[Ambivulus|Marcus Ambivulus]] (9-12 CE), and [[Rufus|Annus Rufus]] (12-15 CE). [[Herod Antipas]] and [[Herod Philip]] continued the practice of dedicating their building projects to their patron.
 
[[Jesus of Nazareth]] was born at the time of Augustus. Later Christian tradition would develop the legend that Augustus received the annunciation of the birth of Jesus by the [[Sybyl]].
 
==Augustus in ancient sources==
 
==Augustus in Scholarship==
 
==Augustus in Fiction==
 
==Related categories==
*[[Roman Emperors]]
 
==References==
 
*'''Augustus''' / [[David S. Potter]] / In: [[The Anchor Bible Dictionary (1992 Freedman), dictionary]], 1:524-528
 
==External links==
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus Wikipedia]
*[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=2139&letter=A&search=Augustus Jewish Encyclopedia (1906)]
 




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Revision as of 07:48, 8 February 2012

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