Constitutional Settlements

Question 1

1st settlememt

Answer 1

First settlement 27 BC:
Gave title Augustus (Revered One), and Princeps

Given ability to redistribute provinces (Res Gestae)

Pushed through a bill to have the Praetorian guard paid double the normal soldiers

was also given: ability to display the laurel on his door posts, civic crown above his door, and the display of the shield of virtue, all honorific, no real power (Res Gestae)

Question 2

2nd settlement

Answer 2

Second, 23 BC:
Removed himself as consul due to the amount of times he previously held it

Imperium Proconsulare Maius: Command of the Army without being Consul, and did not need to hand this over when crossing the Pomerimium

Tribunicia Potestas: Could gather the senate to propose and veto legislation and propose legislation straight to the plebeian assembly

Tacitus called this: ‘The expression of the supremacy of [the emperors] position’, however Velleius Paterculus said: ‘force was restored to the laws, authority to the court, majesty to the senate’

Question 3

1st settlement sources

Answer 3

RES GESTAE: ‘excelled all in influence … no more official power than others’- needed to look more like a restorer of the republic than ruler:

CASSIUS DIO: ‘originated from the gods and will return to the gods … not consent to be ruled over ever by the same person’ (About Rome)

DIO: ‘shows how sincere he had been in laying down the monarchy’ (Sarcasm on his part)

Denarius of 27 BC,
presented wearing the civic crown