Augustus' rise to power and consolidation of his rule

• unrest in Rome after the murder of JC and Mark Antony - JC's fellow consul at the time, took control
• he agreed with the Senate that JC's murderers should be given an amnesty, and that JC's will should be read in public
• people felt very positive towards JC when they found out he left money to poorer citizens
• Octavian returned to Rome and was surprised that he was made JC's heir
• he paid the people the money JC left them, and gained popularity through this
• he vowed to avenge JC's death and be a great leader himself
• Octavian was popular with the people and with JC's veterans, putting him in a strong position
• Octavian and MA worked together with Lepidus to set the state in order and attack the republican armies of Brutus and Cassius, JC's murderers
• they were savage in eliminating politicians who were against them
• over 2,000 republican supporters were killed by them, including Cicero :(
• 42 - Brutus and Cassius were killed at the battle of Philippi
• the struggle was now between Antony and Octavian
• MA allied himself with Cleopatra - strong power base in the East
• the Italian towns and cities, together with important provinces such as Africa, Spain and Gaul swore allegiances to Octavian
• 31 - Antony and Octavian fought at Actium, and MA and Cleopatra fled
• After Actium, Octavian sent Agrippa, his right-hand man, back to Rome to settle the troops who were becoming restless because they wanted payment
• he invaded Egypt
• MA and Cleopatra committed suicide
• he treated most of MA's supporters leniently, but killed Ptolemy Caesar, Cleopatra's son by JC and Antony's eldest son
• gained all the wealth of Egypt for Rome
• travelled to the eastern provinces to establish his authority there
• 29 - Octavian closed the gates of the Temple of Janus, a symbol of Rome was finally at peace
• this was the 1st time in 200 years that they had been closed
• he returned to Rome to a big public triumph, and then set about restoring order
• established that internal peace was to continue, and reduced the number of legions, settling veterans in colonies with a pension
• annulled the proscriptions that had been made in the past
• encouraged religious practices
• provided the people with entertainment
• began his building programmes
• from 27 - declared that he was restoring the republic
• encouraged a return to traditional Roman values
• adopted the name Augustus (revered one) and princeps (1st citizen)
• renounced all his powers (Senate objected and continued to elect him into the consulship, as he knew they would)
• revived simple rural festivals and encouraged the worship of local deities
• continued his building programmes
• introduced laws to improve public morality
• built himself a 'modest' house on the Palatine and encouraged simple living
• celebrated the secular games in 17 to mark the beginningof a new golden age
• encouraged promotion of his regime through literature and art