Transcript 3.9 Triumph of Octavian

The Triumph of Octavian
CHW 3M
Review (Don’t write this down)
In the last lesson, you learned
about how Caesar began to rebuild
Rome
• Reduced debt (cancelled interest,
new laws about repaying debts
• Created new infrastructure (new
construction projects created
jobs)
• Inspired loyalty (extending
citizenship to other lands, and
skilled professionals)
• Was assassinated! (By those who
feared his power, reforms)
What Would You Do If....
...You had unlimited power?
What would be the best choice, for YOU and the WORLD?
Three powerful leaders of Rome had different approaches to
these questions.
1. Sulla – Give up power
• Voluntarily retired after wiping out opposition to Senate
• Nice idea, but weak government leads to civil war and
chaos (generals take control – First Triumvirate)
2. Julius Caesar – Hold on to power
• Provided strong leadership, excellent reforms
• Assassinated by those who feared his power
3. Octavian – What would he do?
Octavian Gains Power
After Caesar’s death, power in Rome
rested uneasily in the hands of three
men – the Second Triumvirate (43 BC)
• Octavian
• Caesar’s adopted son and rightful
heir
• 18 years old – held loyalty of those
loyal to Caesar
• Mark Antony
• Caesar’s consul and lieutenant
• Tried to gain power for himself, but
stopped by Octavian
• Lepidus
• Governor of Nearer Spain
• Backed Antony, combined forces
kept Octavian in check
Octavian Gains Power
Distrust and Paranoia
• Triumvirate quickly wipe out all opposition
(Cicero), then turn on each other
• Lepidus tries to claim Sicily, but troops desert
to Octavian (why?)
• Antony falls in love with Cleopatra, together
try to create new Eastern empire
• However, tricky Octavian stirs Romans
against Antony
• Accuses him of immorality and desertion
– leaving Rome behind for the Queen of
Egypt
• Solders desert to Octavian, Antony and
Cleopatra defeated, commit suicide
Octavian Rules the World
27 BC – Octavian is undisputed ruler of the world
• 35 years old - consul (7th time)
• Faced with monumental choice – to give power
away and risk civil war, or to keep it and risk
assassination/uprising
• Brilliant move – voluntarily rejects offer to
become dictator for life and offers to restore the
Republic
• Makes people happy – we are still a republic
• Senate responds by giving power back, giving
him the name “Augustus” – revered or honoured
one – and the title of “Princeps”
• Basically gave him powers of an Emperor
while appearing to be a friend of the republic
Four Sources of Power
Augustus was effectively an Emperor, but this was an
unofficial position, not a real title. Power came from
four sources that he had to appease:
• Common people: Wanted peace and prosperity
• Set up public works projects, grain distribution,
fire department/police force
• Aristocracy: Wanted government influence
• Let senators run the most civilized provinces
• Equestrians: Wanted more wealth, influence
• Allowed them to run less important provinces,
paid Governors (so what?)
• Army: Wanted good retirement package
• Made military completely voluntary, increased
pay, founded 28 colonies to provide land to
retired soldiers
A Good Guy???
Big concern for Augustus – Moral
Regeneration in Rome (what is this? why
might it be needed?)
• Restored religions/cults
• Laws to encourage marriage, families
• Kind to slaves (story of Vedius & his
slave)
• Small town guy – down to earth, tried
to bring back old Roman virtues: selfdiscipline, responsibility, respect for
tradition/authority
• Died in 14 AD – Left empire to his stepson, Tiberius
Outline
•Last lesson – Caesar rebuilds rome (debt, infrastructure, citizenship) before
assasination
•What do you do when you have unlimited power? Three men who held unlimited
power (dictators for life) – Sulla (voluntarily retired - civil war), Julius Caesar (retained
power - assassinated), Octavian (???)
•Octavian gains power (the second triumvirate, wipes out opposition, triumvirate
breaks down – Cleopatra)
•Octavian rules the world (choice – to retire or retain power, gives up power, named
Princeps (Augustus), rules world)
•New map
•Four sources of power (common people – peace and prosperity, aristocracy –
government influence, Equestrians – wealth, army – land and money for veterans)
•A good guy?? Moral regeneration (temples and religions restored, family life, tried
to bring back old Roman virtues, death)
•Where do you think the Roman Republic ended and the Empire began? (Good
paragraph, with examples)