Augustus Quotes

Question 1

What does Velleius Paterculus say about Octavian’s victory at Actium?

Answer 1

History of Rome 2.89.1: When Octavian returned to Rome, he was greeted by “huge crowds and universal acclaim”.

Question 2

How did Augustus present his victory at Actium in the Res Gestae?

Answer 2

“I raised an army by means I restored liberty to the republic, which had been oppressed by the tyranny of a faction”.

Question 3

How did Virgil present Octavian’s victory at Actium?

Answer 3

Aeneid: “O shameless! his Egyptian spouse”, “her monster Gods”.

Question 4

How did Horace present Octavian’s victory at Actium?

Answer 4

Odes: Describes Cleopatra as a “maddened queen plotting the Capitol’s and the empire’s ruin”.

Question 5

Denarius of Augustus 29 - 27 BC

Answer 5

Reverse: Octavian holding branch, “Victorious Caesar”.

Commemorates Octavian’s victory in Actium and his resulting triumph.

Question 6

What does Augustus say about the First Constitutional Settlement? (2 Quotes)

Answer 6

Res Gestae: “After this time I excelled all in auctoritas although I possessed no more official potestas than others”.

Res Gestae 34: he claimed that the state was again controlled by the Senate and People.

Question 7

What does Cassius Dio say about Augustus doubling the pay of the Praetorian Guard in the First Constitutional Settlement?

Answer 7

“This shows how sincere he was to lay down the monarchy”

Question 8

What does Cassius Dio say about Augustus gaining the power to redistribute the provinces?

Answer 8

Dio 53.12: notes that Augustus’ real aim was “that the senators should be unarmed and unprepared for war, while he possessed arms and controlled troops”.

Question 9

Aureus of Augustus 27 BC

Answer 9

Obverse: legend “for saving the lives of the citizens”
Reverse: Eagle standing on an oak-wreath with two laurel branches behind.

Signifies Augustus’ being awarded the Civic Crown for “saving the life of a citizen in war” i.e. Rome from Civil War.

Question 10

What does Tacitus say about Augustus gaining tribunicia potestas?

Answer 10

Annals 3.65: “the expression of the supremacy of the emperor’s position”

Question 11

What does Cassius Dio say about Augustus gaining Imperium Proconsulare Maius?

Answer 11

Roman History 53.52.5: this reaffirmed the princeps as the head of the Roman army.

Question 12

What does Suetonius say about Augustus wanting to restore the tradition and piety of Rome?

Answer 12

Augustus 40: tells us that Augustus had a severe attitude towards moral and social purity, not wishing “native Roman stock to be tainted with foreign or servile blood”.

Question 13

What does Augustus say about his restoration of Rome?

Answer 13

Res Gestae: “I restored 82 temples”

Res Gestae 8.2: records Augustus’ census - the first official census of the Roman people in 42 years.

Question 14

What does Velleius Paterculus say about Augustus trying to keep his reign traditional?

Answer 14

History of Rome 89.5: Augustus refused to become dictator despite being offered it repeatedly.

Question 15

Aureus of Augustus 28 BC

Answer 15

Obverse: Head of Octavian

Reverse: Octavian seated on a Magistrates bench with a scroll, “He has restored to the Roman People their laws and rights”

Question 16

What does Augustus say about trying to keep his reign traditional?

Answer 16

Res Gestae 6.1: claims that he took no office that contravened ancestral customs.

Question 17

What does Suetonius say about Augustus and his attitude towards religion?

Answer 17

Augustus was respectful to long established religions but considered the worship of a living individual dangerous, especially in Rome and the west.

Question 18

What does Tacitus say about Augustus and his attitude towards religion?

Answer 18

Annals 1.10.6: “There were no honours left for the gods, now that Augustus chose to be worshipped with temples and godlike images by flamines and priests”

Annals 4.37: Augustus didn’t stand in the way of the people of Pergamum in Asia Minor successfully building a temple to him and Rome 29 BC.

Question 19

What does Augustus say about his attitude towards religion?

Answer 19

Res Gestae 7.2-3: tells us that he held seven simultaneous priesthoods.

Question 20

How many shrines did Virgil mention Augustus built?

Answer 20

Mentions 300.

Question 21

Denarius of Augustus 16 BC

Answer 21

Reverse: shows ladle, tripod and sacrificial bowl - symbols of Priesthoods.

Question 22

What does Suetonius say about Augustus’ administrative changes to Rome?

Answer 22

Augustus 30: divided Rome into 14 districts.

Augustus 36: banned the publication of “Proceedings of the Senate”

Augustus 37: created new offices for the upkeep of public buildings, roads and aqueducts and for grain distribution.

Question 23

What does Augustus say about his administrative changes to Rome?

Answer 23

Res Gestae 8.2: he revised the senatorial roll three times.

Res Gestae 25.3: claims that 700 senators served him at Actium, and as many as 300 may have sided with Mark Antony.

Question 24

What does Suetonius say about Augustus’ building programme?

Answer 24

Augustus 28: Augustus “found a Rome built of bricks but left it one clothed in marble”

Question 25

What does Strabo say about Augustus’ building programme?

Answer 25

Geography: Augustus constructed and improved public aqueducts

Question 26

What does Augustus say about his building programme?

Answer 26

Res Gestae: “without inscribing my name anywhere on them”.

Question 27

What does Tacitus say generally about Augustus’ relationship with different classes of Rome?

Answer 27

“Augustus seduced the soldiery with gifts, the people with corn, and everyone with the delights of peace”.

Question 28

What does Tacitus say about Augustus’ relationship with the Senate?

Answer 28

Annals 2.27: Augustus gave money to individual senators

Annals 2.59: Banned senators from the province of Egypt.

Question 29

What does Suetonius say about Augustus’ relationship with the Senate?

Answer 29

Augustus 37: Lower ranks of the cursus honorum were expanded to allow for more senators to gain political experience.

Question 30

What does Augustus say about his relationship with the Plebs?

Answer 30

Res Gestae 15.1: In 24 BC Augustus gave 400 sesterces to each pleb.

Res Gestae 5.1-2: in 22 BC, the plebs rioted when there was a corn shortage- they demanded that Augustus should be appointed dictator to deal with the crisis

Question 31

What does Suetonius say about Augustus’ health?

Answer 31

Augustus had been suffering from bouts of illness since 25 BC.

Question 32

Aureus of Augustus and Agrippa 13 BC

Answer 32

Reverse: Augustus and Agrippa seated on a tribune’s bench.

• Could be designating Agrippa as his heir.
• Gives the impression that Augustus shared power with colleagues according to republican tradition.

Question 33

Aureus of Gaius and Lucius Caesar 2 BC - AD 11

Answer 33

Reverse: Gaius and Lucius Caesar, veiled. “Gaius and Lucius Caesar, sons of Augustus, consuls designate, princeps iuventutis”

• Designating these two as heir before they died

Question 34

Aureus of Augustus and Tiberius AD 13-14

Answer 34

Obverse: Head of Augustus
Reverse: Head of Tiberius

• From final year of Augustus’ life, illustrating that Tiberius will be his successor.