Octavian Comes to Rome

Question 1

When was Julius Caesar born?

Answer 1

100 BCE

Question 2

Who did the Julian Clan claim to be descended from?

Answer 2

Aeneas and Venus

Question 3

What two groups of people was Julius Caesar popular with?

Answer 3

The plebeians and army veterans

Question 4

What two positions did Julius Caesar hold?

Answer 4

Pontifex Maximus
Consul

Question 5

What is the Pontifex Maximus?

Answer 5

chief priest of Roman religion

Question 6

What were two initiatives used by Julius Caesar to improve the Roman’s living conditions?

Answer 6

the grain dole
land distribution bill

Question 7

When was the first triumvirate formed?

Answer 7

60 BCE

Question 8

Who was in the first triumvirate?

Answer 8

Julius Caesar
Marcus Crassus
Pompey the Great

Question 9

When did tensions reach a climax between Caesar and Pompey? What did this result in?

Answer 9

49 BCE
civil war after Caesar failed to disband his army.
Caesar won and Pompey had to flee.

Question 10

When did Julius Caesar proclaim himself to be Dictator in Perpetuity?

Answer 10

44 BCE

Question 11

When was Julius Caesar assassinated?

Answer 11

15th of March 44 BCE

Question 12

Who led the assassination plot against Caesar?

Answer 12

Brutus and Cassius

Question 13

Who was Octavian to Caesar?

Answer 13

his great-nephew

Question 14

What age was Octavian at the time of Caesar’s assassination?

Answer 14

18

Question 15

What family was Octavian born into? What was their standing in society?

Answer 15

Octavii
wealthy but politically insignificant

Question 16

What did Caesar’s will request about Octavian?

Answer 16

requested Octavian take his name
this was interpreted as a sign of his legal adoption

Question 17

What did Octavian call himself after Caesar’s death?

Answer 17

Gaius Julius Caesar

Question 18

How much did Octavian give to each of the plebeians after Caesar’s death? What did this do for his image?

Answer 18

75 denarii
this won him popularity and solidified his image as Caesar’s heir.

Question 19

Describe the funeral games held by Octavian. What happened at them?

Answer 19

the games were held in honour of Venus but were also Caesar’s funeral games.
a comet appeared in the sky at the games and Octavian claimed that this was Caesar rising to the heavens to be made a god.

Question 20

Who was positioning himself as Caesar’s legal heir besides Octavian?

Answer 20

Mark Antony

Question 21

What was Mark Antony to Caesar?

Answer 21

his former lieutenant

Question 22

What forced Brutus and Cassius to flee Rome?

Answer 22

Antony’s powerful speech at Caesar’s funeral, turning popular opinion against Brutus and Cassius.

Question 23

What the Senate worried about Antony doing after Caesar’s death? What did this make them do?

Answer 23

they were afraid Antony would follow Caesar and seize power too.
they chose to support Octavian as he was the lesser of two evils.

Question 24

Why was it surprising that Octavian was inducted to the Senate?

Answer 24

he was only 18, the minimum age was usually 30

Question 25

When was the Battle of Mutina?

Answer 25

43 BCE

Question 26

What happened at the Battle of Mutina?

Answer 26

Octavian led an army against Antony.
Antony was defeated and forced to retreat.

Question 27

Who was killed at the Battle of Mutina? What did this lead to?

Answer 27

Hirtius and Pansa, the two consuls.
left Octavianh in sole command of the Senate’s army.

Question 28

What happened when the Senate refused to grant Octavian honours for the victory at Mutina?

Answer 28

Octavian marched on Rome, demanding the consulship.
he was the leader of the Senate’s army so they couldn’t defend themselves.

Question 29

When was Octavian made consul?

Answer 29

August 43 BCE

Question 30

When did the second triumvirate form?

Answer 30

43 BCE

Question 31

Who made up the second triumvirate?

Answer 31

Octavian, Mark Antony, Lepidus

Question 32

How did the the second triumvirate differ from the first triumvirate?

Answer 32

it was ratified into law, giving the men extraordinary power.

Question 33

What happens when one is proscribed?

Answer 33

they can be killed or have their property confiscated

Question 34

Who did the second triumvirate set out proscriptions against? Why?

Answer 34

individual senators.
allowed them to kill 100-300 senators.

Question 35

When was Julius Caesar declared a god? What did this allow Octavian to do?

Answer 35

42 BCE
call himself ‘Divi Filius’

Question 36

Who declared Julius Caesar a god?

Answer 36

the Senate

Question 37

What does Divi Filius mean?

Answer 37

son of a god

Question 38

How did the title of Divi Filius affect Octavian’s image?

Answer 38

it was used as part of his propaganda to communicate his semi-divine status to the people of Rome.
no one else could claim to be directly descended from the gods which gave him an aura of importance and authority.

Question 39

What does Mos Maiorum mean?

Answer 39

the ways of our ancestors

Question 40

What is the Mos Maiorum?

Answer 40

an unwritten code of behaviour and values looking to the ancestors as role models

Question 41

Why did Octavian and Antony have to avenge Caesar’s death?

Answer 41

it was seen as their duty and they didn’t want to be seen as neglecting their duty.

Question 42

Describe the Battle of Philippi

Answer 42

42 BCE
triumvirs launched a military campaign against Caesar’s assassins and won

Question 43

What did Octavian promise in thanks for the victory at the Battle of Philippi?

Answer 43

a temple to Mars Ultor

Question 44

How long did someone hold the position of Pontifex Maximus for?

Answer 44

for life / until death

Question 45

Outline how dictators were chosen in Rome and what powers this position conferred

Answer 45

the Senate named an individual as dictator in times of crisis
they held military and judicial authority