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The Principate of Augustus, Augustus died at the age of 77 in 14AD -…
The Principate of Augustus
aftermath of Actium
Octavian now had complete control of the empire, and regularised his position within the constitution
he avoided the absolutism that Caesar had exercised, and instead ruled in the guise of a constitutional princeps ('first citizen')
he remained unchallenged for 45 years until his death in 14AD, having secured a monarchical regime that would last for centuries
Power and honours granted to him
Octavian wished to reconstruct the society that had been shattered by 20 years of civil war
his actual position lacked much real legal power
in January 27 he handed over the state to the senate and the people
he was then appointed to a special command for 10 years, with a 'province' that included Spain, Gaul, Syria, and Cilicia - areas which contained most of the army
he also continued to hold the consulship, and received the honour of the title 'Augustus' - 'illustrious one' or 'sublime'
however, in 23 a plot against his life was discovered so he decided to resign the consulship as his perpetual tenure of the office was causing offence and blocking opportunity for other nobles
he continued to govern his province as proconsul
in 23 he received the power of the tribunes for life, and in 19 he was granted the insignia of the consuls
he was urged by the people to become perpetual dictator - fear of his sole power was no more
However, he refused extravagant honours: in his
Res Gestae
we are told that he thrice refused to be 'appointed supervisor of laws and morals without a colleague and with supreme power' because it was 'inconsistent with the custom of our ancestors'
he claimed to have no more legal power than other magistrates but acknowledged he was preeminent in auctoritas - his personal authority allowed him to assert his will
elections continued to take place but became a formality - by the end of his reign he was appointing most of the chief magistrates himself
he also had an absolute right of veto, but never had to use it as far as we know
vid about principate
the senate (and some others)
as the principate was established, the Res Publica was restored
augustus reduced the size of the senate by removing 'unworthy' members, and he restored the regular sequence of offices
he treated the senate and its traditions with great respect, unlike caesar. provincial governors were chosen from the ranks of the senate
the 'public' provinces were assigned by lot to proconsuls who governed for a year, while the 'imperial' provinces (those within the emperor's province) were governed by legates appointed directly by Augustus
these proconsuls and legates were either ex-praetors or ex-consuls
senators were also used to command individual legion, and for many other administrative posts in rome
as such, the senate was less important as an actual assembly than as a body of administrators
the equestrians
augustus employed men of the equestrian order for other tasks, such as his personal agents (procurators)
then increasingly as officials in his own provinces, like financial administrators and governors of small provincial districts
also appointed to a range of very senior military and administrative posts which required men of proven ability and loyalty
e.g. Prefect of the Praetorian Guard, Prefect of the Corn Supply, Prefect of Egypt
equestrians: constituted the second of the property-based classes of ancient Rome, ranking below the senatorial class. Also known as
equites
this restored republic most appealed to the equites - wealthy and propertied class of roman citizens.
here augustus found the most support - new families of italian origin that could rise to prominence under augustus in both the senate and the public appointments created for equestrians
Moral Laws and Regeneration
Augustus presented himself as the defender of the Roman tradition
he revived ancient religious festivals and cult practices
filled vacancies in the archaic priesthoods and repaired temples and sacred buildings in the city
in 18 and 17 BC he introduced laws against sexual offences: divorce was curbed and adultery made a public crime
he also imposed penalties on unmarried people and rewarded couples who had children
yet, Augustus' only daughter Julia was notorious for such scandalous sexual conduct that she was banished to an island in 2BC
these laws are seen as an attempt to regulate the decadent lifestyle of the upper classes
The Arts and culture
writing
Livy wrote the story of rome in 142 books
writers promoted the ideals of the regime - like Virgil who posed Aeneas as the ancestor of the Julian gens
also Horace favourably portrays the emperor in his Odes
art
the altar of peace
statue of Augustus from Prima Porta
both technically perfect but criticised for lack of warmth or vitality
public buildings
A new forum was built, inaugurated in 2BC
developed the area of the Campus Martius, where the principal monuments were the Portico of Octavia, the Theatre of Marcellus and his own mausoleum
Living Conditions
at this time city population was probs c. one million
most housed in high rise slums which were poorly constructed and badly lit, no heating and liable to collapse
there was no security of tenure with short term tenancies, and very high rent
drainage system bad - only the houses of the rich were connected to the sewers
epidemics were frequent, we have unearthed mass graves with thousands of corpses, there were no public hopsitals
Administration of the City
augustus imposed a limit of 21 meters on the height of tenement blocks
organised a fire brigade of 7000 vigiles under an equestrian prefect
the city was divided into 14 regions and 265 wards, which elected their own officials
because flooding from the Tiber caused deaths, he set up a board of senatorial 'curators of the river banks'
corn supply reorganised and made the responsibility of a senior equestrian
the plebs were given cash donations sometimes, and were kept entertained by games and shows, so that they supported the regime
control of the army
augustus managed to neutralise the army which could have been used for revolutionary change
after actium he reduced the numbers of men under arms, those that were left were permanently stationed on the frontiers
the army became a regular establishment, with constant intake of new recruits who served for a fixed 20 year term
in 6AD a military treasury was formed, funded by taxes, giving soldiers land or severance payments upon discharge
this made the army loyal to the state and the emperor
this system remained until 68AD
Augustus died at the age of 77 in 14AD
