Augustus’ Empire
In Cicero’s letter he wrote to Atticus, Cicero had a very biased view of young Octavius. Cicero accused the young Octavius of not being able to be a “good citizen”. Although, Octavius’ description of himself as a citizen fits Cicero’s definition of what a “good citizen” should do and say. Octavius, later known as Augustus, wrote about his achievements in his own autobiography and explains how he was, for the most part, a “good citizen” during his time as emperor. Augustus wanted to convey himself as being a generous patron to the state as well as the man who reinstalled peace and opulence to the republic after many years of civil unrest. And someone who carried out many great plans in order to create a single-man rule without …show more content…
Behind the scenes it was all Augustus, but he wanted it to make it look like he had little power or say with what went on so his people would love and respect him. He often did what his people told him to do or gave them more power in order for the people outside the senate could cement their loyalty to him. One of Augustus’ main threats to his power was the senate, but if he had support from the equites, the senate couldn’t do much. During his fifth consulship, Augustus increased the number of patricians at the command of his people and the senate and he also revised the roll of the senate three times.5 This is an example of Augustus doing what his people asked him as he knew it would make them happy and solidify his power in a small …show more content…
He also rebuilt monuments in towns that were destroyed by either fire or earthquake. The biggest deed that Augustus performed was how much money he granted to certain individuals. Every consulship he would boost the amount of sesterces each soldier would receive for their loyalty and service they devoted to the Roman Republic. He also paid the towns where his soldiers were staying. Often times he used his own funds to pay for things like during the consulship of Marcus Lepidus and Lucius Arruntius. Augustus stated in the Res Gestae: “I paid 170,000,000 sesterces from my own inheritance to the military treasury, which was founded by my advice so that cash bonuses could be paid to soldiers who had served for 20 years or more.”7 Augustus made these contributions to the state in order to gain the respect and obedience from his people. He was kind of buying their devotion in a way so he could be the sole man at the
In Cicero’s letter he wrote to Atticus, Cicero had a very biased view of young Octavius. Cicero accused the young Octavius of not being able to be a “good citizen”. Although, Octavius’ description of himself as a citizen fits Cicero’s definition of what a “good citizen” should do and say. Octavius, later known as Augustus, wrote about his achievements in his own autobiography and explains how he was, for the most part, a “good citizen” during his time as emperor. Augustus wanted to convey himself as being a generous patron to the state as well as the man who reinstalled peace and opulence to the republic after many years of civil unrest. And someone who carried out many great plans in order to create a single-man rule without …show more content…
Behind the scenes it was all Augustus, but he wanted it to make it look like he had little power or say with what went on so his people would love and respect him. He often did what his people told him to do or gave them more power in order for the people outside the senate could cement their loyalty to him. One of Augustus’ main threats to his power was the senate, but if he had support from the equites, the senate couldn’t do much. During his fifth consulship, Augustus increased the number of patricians at the command of his people and the senate and he also revised the roll of the senate three times.5 This is an example of Augustus doing what his people asked him as he knew it would make them happy and solidify his power in a small …show more content…
He also rebuilt monuments in towns that were destroyed by either fire or earthquake. The biggest deed that Augustus performed was how much money he granted to certain individuals. Every consulship he would boost the amount of sesterces each soldier would receive for their loyalty and service they devoted to the Roman Republic. He also paid the towns where his soldiers were staying. Often times he used his own funds to pay for things like during the consulship of Marcus Lepidus and Lucius Arruntius. Augustus stated in the Res Gestae: “I paid 170,000,000 sesterces from my own inheritance to the military treasury, which was founded by my advice so that cash bonuses could be paid to soldiers who had served for 20 years or more.”7 Augustus made these contributions to the state in order to gain the respect and obedience from his people. He was kind of buying their devotion in a way so he could be the sole man at the