Augustus Flashcards
What does Paterculus say about whether he restored the republic
“the ancient traditional form of the republic was brought back”
what does the Res Gestae say about whether he restored it
“the whole of Italy of its own accord swore an oath of allegiance to me”
what does Dio say about whether he restored the republic?
-doesnt think he restored it but thinks he made necessary changes uses the word “monarchy”
-he gives Agrippa a speech advising Augustus of the dangers of a monarchy and promoting democracy which are most likely his own thoughts
Militarily speaking what changes did Augustus make in Rome (5 points)
-he handed over weaker provinces to the senate so they couldnt rise up (dio)
-senators “enjoyed a wealth and status which had increased in proportion to their servility”
-senate could not enter egypt
-he had no opposition because they’d all died in battles or proscriptions (Tacitus)
-he had control over funds and army as well as his first act being making the praetorian guard and paying them double the army (Dio)
How does Dio and Tacitus describe Augustus’s take over of Rome (4)
-Dio says the same offices still existed it was just that the emperors just absorbed them to make there power look legal (like pontifex maximus)
-Tacitus says “he gradually increased power commandeering to himself the functions of the senate, the magistrates and the law”
-he was consul and had consular imperium from 31-23BC
-Dio also says he gained the SCS when senate made augustus tribune for life and maius proconsular imperium (Dio)
How does Augustus claim he got power (2)
-in ovids poems he says “you were romes lord and master… our first citizen”
-he got triumvir in 28 and got FCS which was a collection of honours such as Clipeus Virtuitis and civic crown which is in his coinage and propoganda which the Res Gestae says was given for “courage, clemency, justice and piety”
How did Augustus please the people (2)
-gave gladiator battles, beast hunts and naval battles (Tacitus)
-gave 400 sesterces per man 3 times 29, 24, 12 BC (res gestae)
how did Augustus reduce civil war
-the gates of temple of Janus Quirinus shut 3 times (suetonius)
how did Augustus prevent fires
-he hired stations of nightwatchmen
how does Augustus get tribunal power
-law passed saying he “should have the tribunician power for the rest of my life” (suetonius)
How was Augustus influenced by women
-dio says livia killed marcellus while tacitus says she killed Gaius and Lucius
-Julia was married to Marcellus, agrippa and tiberius as marriage gave claim as a successor (suetonius)
who gave power to Augustus and how (2)
-Dio says “it is in my power to rule over you for life”
-first and second constitutional settlement from the senate means Augustus was technically given power
how did Augustus handle food supply
-the res gestae says he “did not decline in the great scarcity of corn the superintendence of the supply” and he resolved this issue
what kind of legal refors did Augustus make
-they dealt with “extravagance adultery and unchastity bribery and the encouragement of marriage” Suetonius
What buildings did Augustus erect (4)
-restored 82 temples in 28BC (res gestae)
-promised to set up “three hundred great shrines” Virgil
-left rome “clothed in marble” suetonius
-agrippa constructed fountains, cisterns and reservoirs (res gestae)
How did Augustus maintain the facade of the republic (3)
-the res gestae says that “i revised the roll of the senate three times” cut down senate as censors
-dio says the first constitutional settlements “compelled him as it seemed to accept autocratic powers” whilst making it seem like he wanted to reject it
-Although he ruled like a monarch he could claim that his power came from the people and senate so maintains a republican facade (Ronald Syme)
what was augustes’ relationship with the equites (2)
-equestrians were banned from entering Egypt without his permission (tacitus)
-augustus kept an eye on equites and told one off for wasting his inheritance to which he replied “i thought it was mine” (quintillian)
how did Augustus react to his cult (3)
-ovids poem shows people worshiping his genius and could be a possibility for the indirect cult of Augustus who refused emperor worship in Rome
-lets the people of Pergamum set up a temple to him (outside of Rome) Dio and Tacitus
-“there were no honours left for the gods now that Augustus chose to be a worshipped with temples and godlike images” tacitus
how did Augustus us his power to split provinces (2)
-Augustus used the first constitutional settlement to split provinces between himself senate. he appointment senators to rule both the sets of provinces Dio
-he handed over the weaker provinces to the senate so that the senators should be unarmed and unprepared for war Dio
how did augustus expand the empire (2)
-expanded the empire significantly (res gestae) which gave him the military reputation he needed to govern
-he extended the pomerium (res gestae)
