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Emperor Octavian by 小. 袠. 小芯褋薪芯胁褋泻懈泄 from

Top 10 Facts about The Rise of Octavian and the Roman Empire

Augustus Caesar commonly referred to as Octavian and born Gaius Octavius, is renowned for turning the unstable Roman Republic, which had been torn apart by civil wars, into a monarchical Empire that would reign for over 1400 years. Octavian gained fame after Julius Caesar’s death and went on to join the Second Triumvirate before being elected as consul.

He was given the title Augustus in 27 BC after he defeated Mark Antony at Actium in 31 AD, solidifying his position as the undisputed emperor of the Roman Empire. From 27 BC until his passing in 14 AD, he governed for a total of 41 years.

With the help of these 10 fascinating facts, you may learn more about Augustus Caesar’s family, life, the ascent to power, significant wars, reign, and death.

1. He was the nephew of Julius Caesar

Augustus Caesar by Stephencdickson from

On September 23, 63 BC, at Ox Head on Palatine Hill in the city of Rome, Gaius Octavius Thurinus, afterwards known as Augustus, was born. He was named after his father Gaius Octavius, the first member of their family to hold the office of a Roman senator and the governor of Macedonia.

Atia, the mother of Augustus, was a relative of Julius Caesar’s sister, Julia Caesaris. Atia wed Lucius Marcius Philippus, a former governor of Syria, following the death of her husband in 59 BC. Julia Caesaris, his maternal grandmother, was mostly in charge of rearing young Octavius. At the age of twelve, in 51 BC, he gave the eulogy for her death.

2. As Caesar’s designated heir, Octavius rose to prominence in politics

Octavius travelled to Hispania (modern-day Spain) in 47 BC to battle alongside Julius Caesar. He had to cross a hostile area after getting shipwrecked on the route, but he eventually made it to Caesar’s camp. When Caesar returned to Rome, he named Octavius as his heir and successor in his will as a result of his bravery in impressing his uncle.

When Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 BC, Octavius was finishing his academic and military training in Apollonia, Illyria. Caesar had no legal sons who were still alive according to Roman law. Octavius obtained legal status as Caesar’s adopted son and adopted his uncle Gaius Julius Caesar’s name. But in order to prevent misunderstanding, historians refer to him as Octavian from 44 BC until he was given the title Augustus in 27 BC.

3. At the age of nineteen, he was elected consul on the 19th of August  43BC

Mark Antony by ancient Roman artist from

As his co-consul, Caesar had chosen Mark Antony. In the Roman Republic, the consul was the highest elected political position. The claim that Octavian had acquired his adoption through sexual favours was the basis for Antony’s refusal to accept Octavian as Caesar’s lawful heir. Support for Octavian against Antony was gathered from Caesar’s allies, including many senators. On January 1st, 43 BC, they swore him in as a senator and granted him, along with other consuls, the right to veto.

The struggle resulted in the battles of Forum Gallorum and Mutina, where Octavian beat Mark Antony and forced him to flee to Gaul. Octavian assumed exclusive leadership of the Senate’s armies after the consuls who oversaw their operations were slain in action, and he later forced the Senate to give him the vacant consulship in August 43 BC.

4. Octavian was a member of the Second Triumvirate, which brought an end to the Roman Republic

Emperor Octavian by Henry d’Escamps from

Octavian formed a partnership with his enemy rather than continuing his struggle against him. A three-man dictatorship with Antony in charge of the East, Lepidus in charge of Africa, and Octavian in charge of the West were created on November 27, 43 BC, by Octavian, Antony, and another of Caesar’s major supporters, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus.

The Second Triumvirate, which they formed, is known for officially ending the Roman Republic and beginning the process of turning it into an autocratic Empire. Octavian’s older sister, Octavia, wed Mark Antony in October 40 BC to strengthen their partnership even further.

5. He used proscriptions to eliminate his political enemies 

Between 43 BC and 33 BC, there were two terms of the Second Triumvirate each of five years. Around 300 senators and 2,000 members of the equities or knights, the class below senators, were executed or exiled as a result of proscriptions that the three triumvirs, who prepared a list of their political foes, put into motion.

Romans were offered rewards for apprehending the proscribed, and the triumvirs took their property. In order to revenge Julius Caesar’s murder, Antony and Octavian also began a civil war. They defeated Caesar’s killers Brutus and Cassius, both of whom committed suicide, at the two battles of Philippi in October 42 BC under Mark Antony’s leadership.

6. After defeating Mark Antony in 30 BC, he became Rome’s undisputed ruler

Lepidus and Octavian argued in 36 BC about who held control over the freshly annexed island of Sicily. Lepidus’ troops betrayed him to Octavian, who then stripped him of his triumvirate position and forced him into retirement.

Mark Antony started an affair with the well-known Cleopatra in 41 BC. Octavian’s sister, Octavia, was divorced by Antony in 32 BC. Octavian responded by declaring war on Cleopatra. Cleopatra and Antony withdrew to Alexandria in the wake of Octavian’s resounding victory at the Battle of Actium in September 31 BC. On August 1st, 30 BC, Octavian besieged the city and routed their soldiers in Alexandria; as a result, Antony and Cleopatra killed themselves.

7. In 27 BC, Augustus established the Roman Empire and became its first emperor

The Roman Senate bestowed the title of Augustus on Octavian on January 16, 27 BC (the illustrious one). At the same time, Augustus publicly demonstrated that he had given the Roman Senate full authority once more, reestablishing Rome as a Republic. However, Augustus was the Roman Empire’s de facto autocrat.

He had a number of legal privileges, including the supreme military command, that had been given to him for life by the Senate. In contrast to Augustus’s twenty legions, the Senate only had jurisdiction over five or six. This resulted in the Principate, the first period of the Roman Empire that lasted from 27 BC to 284 AD. The emperors’ upkeep of the Roman Republic’s false continuation was a defining characteristic of the Principate.

8. He was an administrative genius who started Pax Romana

The protracted civil conflicts in the Roman Republic came to an end with Augustus Caesar’s triumph at Actium in 31 BC, and the dying republic was replaced with a reliable monarchy. It began a time of comparative calmness in the Roman Empire that lasted for more than two centuries until 180 AD and is known as Pax Romana (Roman Peace).

Reforms that Augustus brought about in a wide range of areas, such as coinage, taxation, religion, and administration, significantly enhanced Rome’s net income, stimulated trade, resulted in prosperity, and made a significant contribution to the Pax Romana. Furthermore, a great network of highways connecting his empire was built under his rule, among many other construction projects.

9. He has only one child despite having three marriages

Livia by Osama Shukir Muhammed from

Clodia Pulchra, Mark Antony’s stepdaughter, and Augustus were wed in 40 BC. The union was unsuccessful in continuing and ended prematurely. In the same year that he wed Scribonia, Augustus divorced Clodia. Despite having his sole child, Julia the Elder, from his second marriage, it is also regarded as an unhappy union. In 39 BC鈥攖he same year Julia was born鈥擜ugustus divorced Scribonia.

On January 17, 38 BC, Augustus married Livia Drusilla. Augustus’ third marriage, which lasted until his death in 14 AD, is seen as a success. Livia received the extraordinary honour of being in charge of her own money from Augustus, who also dedicated a statue in her honour. From 14 AD until his passing in 37 AD, Tiberius, Augustus Caesar’s successor and Livia’s son from a previous marriage, governed the Roman Empire.

10. Augustus is the name given to the month of August

In the Italian town of Nola in the region of Campania, Augustus Caesar passed away on August 19, 14 AD. He allegedly passed away in the same room as his deceased father. In the months leading up to his passing, his health had been deteriorating. His infamous final words are  鈥淚 found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble鈥�. 

In the 41 years between 27 BC and 14 AD, Augustus controlled the Roman Empire. One of the Roman Emperors with the longest reigns, he is regarded as the best by many. After his death, he was deified, and for fourteen centuries, the names Augustus and Caesar, which he had adopted, served as the official titles of Roman emperors. In 8 BC, he had the eighth month changed to August.

It is believed that Augustus chose the month because it coincided with a number of his notable victories, including the conquest of Egypt.