The Life of Rome’s First Emperor
The Civil Wars were the turning point in the history of the Roman Empire. In this regard, Augustus laid the foundation to the Roman Empire and put the end to the Republic in Rome. His achievements became the subject of numerous scientific and scholar researches. However, the personality of Augustus and his contribution to the development of the Roman Empire and effects of his policies are still subjects to heat debate between scientists, who study Augustus, his life and career. The objective analysis of Augusuts’ personality and his political career is possible on the basis of analysis of primary and secondary sources, such as two readings – “Twelve Casers” by Suetonius’ and “Augustus: The Life of Rome’s First Emperor” by Anthony Everrit. Everrit conducted the extensive study of Augustus’ personality and career, while Suetonius had the information from the primary sources available to him from works of other Roman and Greek authors and Suetonius was close culturally and historically to the time of Augustus’ rule. The brief analysis of key achievements of Augustus reveals the fact that, even though Augustus violated traditional Roman laws and norms and participated in the civil war, which he won, he made a considerable progress in his professional political career, due to his military genius and great diplomatic skills as he defeated his opponent in the struggle for the rule in the Roman Empire and set order in the Roman Empire after the turbulent time of civil wars, he managed to expand the territory of the empire and establish effective administrative system throughout the empire.
Part 1 Augustus’ achievements
Military – Win in the Civil War
Augustus’ was a gifted chief in command. As he entered the civil war, where he had to use the full potential of his military genius. Augustus had gained extensive experience of military operations and glory as he conducted the eight years Sicilian War. After the hard victory there, the next significant point was turning Egypt into one Roman province, with further cleaning out of Nile Delta to increase province’s fertility. The suppression of revolts is an important stage in the gaining the military and political control over the entire empire (Everitt, 2006). In fact, on suppressing revolts, Augustus united all the military power of Rome under his command, while the army was a very important factor, a key that opened his way to taking control over political life in Rome and taking the position of the emperor.
Law: Legal changes and setting new social order
As Augustus took the military control over the Roman Empire, he had to establish a new social order, where he could reign the huge empire. Therefore, Augustus needed new laws and order to maintain his power strong and unchallenging. At this point, Everitt (2006) focuses on Augustus’ measures against anti-social and dangerous tendencies that significantly endangered public order after the Civil Wars. Naturally, the Roman Empire was disorganized after the Civil Wars. To establish public order, Augustus undertook several steps. first, he enhanced law enforcement policies. The next step was the burning of Public Treasury, which was effectively used as a blackmail for raiding activities. Te third was judicial reform. Augustus established the fourth division of juries, that contributed to the development of trial proceedings, and even established the appeal institution for foreigners, that was carried out by some particular ex-Consuls. Thus, Augustus law enforcement policies, justice reform and the elimination of the Public Treasury were key steps to set a stable public order in the empire.
Moreover, to enhance stability in the Roman Empire, Augustus focused on the elimination of extravagance, adultery, unchastity, bribery, and significant improvement of marriage institution. In this regard, he contributed to the development of the Roman law substantially. However, all these steps were essential not just to set order in the Roman Empire but to maintain his absolute power in the empire because Augustus turned out to be the ruler, who maintained order in the empire and his resigning or physical elimination, as was the case of Caesar, could provoke turbulence throughout the empire again. In other words, Augustus focused not only on the stabilization of the public order in Rome but also and mainly on the maintenance of his power in Rome, while his reforms and legal initiatives helped him to reach this goal. In spite of the violation of norms of the Roman Empire, Augustus conducted reforms and changes which laid foundation to the Roman Empire – a powerful state that dominated in the Mediterranean, North Africa and Middle East for centuries ahead.
Administrative system reform – the centralization of the empire under the Emperor’s control
According to historical sources, the times of Augustus are featured with the rise of Roman Empire. In large part, appropriate result was achieved through reformation of governing system, its liberalization and decentralization. Among these reforms specialists (Everitt, 2006) mention reducing of Senatorial Order number, through pretty curious system of two new acts of enrolment; establishment of statutory interval between the conclusion of city magistracies and their holders’ departure to appointment abroad; increase of praetors numbers; the Treasury control transfer from city quaestors to ex-praetors or praetors; sharing governing duties to people through creating of new offices responsible for upkeep of public buildings, roads and aqueducts, distribution of grain to people etc.
Reforms of the administrative system was one of the most significant of Augustus’ achievements, but it is still important to remember about the concept of the civil society that existed in the time of Augustus. Appropriate transformations were inevitable to make the Roman Empire of Augustus’ times so strong and prospering after the destructive and long-lasting Civil Wars. The aforementioned administrative reforms conducted by Augustus contributed to the centralization of the power in Rome under the rule of the Emperor, i.e. Augustus. He became the absolute ruler of the vast empire, through limiting the power of Senate. On the other hand, he attempted to gain the support of average people, for instance through the distribution of grain to people. In such a way, Augustus enhanced and secured his power, weakening Senate and gaining support of people. However, his administrative reform violated apparently norms and laws of the Roman Republic but these changes were essential for the Roman Empire.
The expansion of territory and population
The territorial and population expansion of the Roman Empire during Augustus’ governing is one of the examples of success that he performed. For example, Augustus initiated the growth of Roman population through founding of twenty eight veteran colonies. Moreover, he became the innovator in the field of colonies citizens’ rights promotion. In this regard, the members of each local Senate we enabled to vote during election in City of Rome. In fact, Augustus carried out quite reasonable policy in the sphere of provinces administration. On the one hand, he was encouraged to take away independence from all provinces, which performed unreasonable policy, by changing their statuses from senatorial to imperial. On the other hand, he appreciated those provinces, which strictly kept City of Rome course by eliminating the public debts and even by vesting Latin rights or full citizenship. In such a way, Augustus did not just expand the territory of the Roman Empire but he also expanded the Roman rights and law to territories of the Roman Empire, while, before, Roman provinces could not have those rights and laws that Romans had.
In addition, Anthony Everitt (2006) argues that the expansion of the Roman Empire and granting population of provinces with Roman rights and laws had a hugely important consequence. It generated loyalty and gratitude to Rome. It made people feel that they were not victims of the empire, but its stakeholders. They were members of an imperial commonwealth. It was this shared consciousness that helped to bind Europe and the lands of the Mediterranean basin together for half a millennium and more. How many statesmen in human history can lay claim to such a record of enduring achievement?” (Everitt). In such a way, Augustus made the Roman Empire truly universal for belongingness to Rome was not the oppression anymore. In stark contrast, rights and privileges granted to provinces and their restoration by Augustus bred not only loyalty but they made the population of these territories loyal to Rome. In fact, Augustus brought the Roman civilization to new territories and Roman provinces, introducing innovations that improved the quality of life of the local population. As a result, Augustus’ reforms and policies made provinces and their population loyal to Rome because belongingness to Rome was viewed as benefit but not as oppression.
Part 2. Suetonius’ account of Augustus
At this point, it is important to analyze primary sources to understand Augustus’ personality and his contribution to the development of Rome. One of them is Suetonius’ “Twelve Casers”. The style of narration presented in this reading may make us feel doubted whether the treaty is worth to be called credible and trustworthy historical source. Thinking about this issue, Anthony Everitt did not express significant differences in views on importance of Augustus’ achievements in comparison to Suetonius’. The distinguishes are traced in the deepness and comprehensiveness of made work. In addition, we should take into account that two writers had different goals – research on the one hand, and narration on another. In this regard, we have no reasonable ground to call “The twelve Casers” not trustworthy source.
Suetonius views the Sicilian campaign conducted by Augustus as “the most dangerous campaign”, that was twice interrupted by two storms that wrecked the fleets and Pompeians’ success in cutting Augustus grain supply. Suetonius stresses Augustus military ability and talent to stifle a revolt in a bud, when it has not become too dangerous yet. As for conquers, the author reminds emperor’s victories in Cantabria, Aquitania, Pannonia, Dalmatia, and Alexandria. By listing all the military regalia of The First Emperor, Suetonius states that Augustus experienced only two serious losses, both in Germany. In such a way, Suetonius depicts Augusts as a virtually undefeated commander in chief, who could challenge gods. In this regard, Suetonius reminds Augustus’ response to the news that his fleets were sunk at the times of Sicilian War: “I will win this war, even if Neptune does not want me to!” (Suetonius). This challenge of gods’ power is very daring, taking into consideration religious views of Romans and their belief in the supernatural power of gods. Therefore, Suetonius definitely admires Augustus gift as a commander in chief.
Suetonius states that even after the Civil Wars, the society experienced large negative impact from criminals. The main threats were bandit parties and “workmen’s guilds”, that were created to commit all possible sorts of crimes in reality, but the author argues that Augustus had managed to cope with these challenges successfully and set a strict and just order throughout the Roman Empire.
Suetonius describes legal and social reforms conducted by Augustus as radical. Still, the writer does not avoid the references to Augustus’ self-sacrifice in his innovative intentions: “Augustus proved assiduous in his administration of justice, often remaining in court until nightfall; and if he happened to be unwell, would have his litter carried out to the tribunal. Sometimes he even judged cases in from his sick-bed in his home” (Suetonius).
Suetonius stresses radical character of The Emperor’s administrative reform. Still, the writer does not avoid the references to Augustus’ self-sacrifice in his innovative intentions: “Augustus proved assiduous in his administration of justice, often remaining in court until nightfall; and if he happened to be unwell, would have his litter carried out to the tribunal. Sometimes he even judged cases in from his sick-bed in his home” (Suetonius). Suetonius mentions that Augustus always restored provinces he conquered. The writer outlines the greatness of appropriate Emperor’s achievement by giving the detailed description of policy provided by Augustus. In this way, he tried to stress the genius and eccentricity of the great Emperor one more time. At last, the author find the roots of Augustus’ success in diligent and dedicated approach.
In such a way, Suetonius admires mainly with the military and political genius of Augustus. He appreciates his contribution to the expansion of the Roman Empire and Roman law but he regrets about the violation of certain Roman norms, rules and traditions.
Conclusion
Thus, taking into account all above mentioned, it is important to place emphasis on the fact that Augustus was a gifted commander in chief, diplomat and politician. He used his military gift to defeat his opponents in the Civil Wars. As he set the military control over the vast empire, he started social and political reforms to establish strict public order. On the other hand, the strict public order was essential for him in person, because Augustus need to stay in power. In addition, Augustus conducted effective administrative reforms that contributed to the centralization of the power in the Roman Empire, weakened Senate power, and granted Augustus with support of people. As a result, Augustus enhanced his power and weakened Senate that contributed to the complete decline of Republican principles in Rome and to the establishment of the Empire. In this regard, the territorial expansion of Rome and granted the population of Roman provinces with Roman rights and laws and other privileges contributed to the unification of the Empire. Naturally, Suetonius, as a primary source, admired the Emperor but he regretted about the violation of traditional rules, norms and laws. However, the objective analysis reveals the fact that Augustus policies were pragmatic and oriented on the enhancement of his personal power that was closely intertwined with the enhancement of the Roman Empire.
