Augustus (sources)

• This page is edited by Samuele Rocca, Israel
• DICTIONARY: see Augustus
• ANCIENT SOURCES: see Augustus (sources)]]
• SCHOLARLY AND FICTIONAL WORKS: see [[:Category:Augustus (subject)]]

This page includes ancient sources dealing with the character of the Roman Emperor Augustus.

Overview

The earliest source for the history of Augustus is of course the Inscriptio Ancyrana. The Latin writer Suetonius wrote a biography of Augustus, the second book of the Lives of the Twelve Caesars. The Greek Historian Dio Cassius dedicated no less of eleven books, from book 45 to book 56 of his Roman History. Most of these books are conserved.

Latin Sources

Suetonius, The Lives of the Caesars, Augustus

2 - - 1. There are many indications that the Octavian family was in days of old a distinguished one at Velitrae; for not only was a street in the most frequented part of town long ago called Octavian, but an altar was shown there besides, consecrated by an Octavius. This man was leader in a war with a neigbouring town, and when news of a sudden onset of the enemey was brought to him just as he chanced to be sacrificing to Mars, he snatched the inwards of the victim from the fire and offered them up half raw; and thus he went forth to battle, and returned victorious. There was, besides, a decree of the people on record, providing that for the future too the inwards should be offered to Mars in the same way, and the rest of the victims be handed over to the Octavii.