In
forget the substance of their republican freedom; B.
forget the substance of their republican freedom; B.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - a
when the senate, on the proposal of Q.
Pedius,
(ANTONIUS, p. 215, b. ] Augustus had to con- repealed the sentence of outlawry against Antony
tend against Dec. Brutus, who was in possession and Lepidus, who were just descending from the
of Cisalpine Gaul, as well as against Antony; but Alps with an army of 17 legions. D. Brutus took
to get rid of one enemy at least, the sword was to flight, and was afterwards murdered at Aquileia
drawn against the latter, the more dangerous of at the command of Antony. On their arrival at
the two. While Antony was collecting troops for Bononia, Antony and Lepidus were met by Au-
the war against D. Brutus, two of the legions gustus, who became reconciled with them. It was
which came from Macedonia, the legio Martia agreed by the three, that Augustus should lay
and the fifth, went over to Augustus; and to pre- down his consulship, and that the empire should
vent the remaining troops following the example, be divided among them under the title of triumviri
Antony hastened with them to the north of Italy. rei publicae constituendae, and that this arrange
Cicero, who had at first looked upon Augustus ment should last for the next five years. Lenidus
with contempt, now began to regard him as the obtained Spain, Antony Gaul, and Augustus Africa,
only man capable of delivering the republic from Sardinia, and Sicily. Antony and Augustus were
its troubles ; and Augustus in return courted to prosecute the war against the murderers of
Cicero. On the 10th of December, Cicero, in his Caesar. The first objects of the triumvirs were to
third Philippic, proposed that Augustus should be destroy their enemies and the republican party ;
entrusted with the command of the army against they began their proscriptions even before they
Antony, and on the first of January, B. C. 43, he arrived a: Rome; their enemies were murdered
repeated the same proposal in his fifth Philippic. and their property confiscated, and Augustus was
The senate now granted more than had been no less cruel than Antony. Two thousand equites
asked : Augustus obtained the command of the and three hundred senators are said to have been
army with the title and insignia of a praetor, the put to death during this proscription : the lands of
right of voting in the senate with the consulars, whole townships were taken from their owners
and of holding the consulship ten years before he and distributed among the veteran soldiers. Num-
attained the legitimate age. He was accordingly bers of Roman citizens took to flight, and found a
sent by the senate, with the two consuls of the refuge with Sex. Pompeius in Sicily. Augustus
year, C. Vibius Pansa and A. Hirtius, to compel first directed his arms against the latter, because
Antony to raise the siege of Mutina. Augustus dis- Pompeius had it in his power to cut off all pru-
tinguished himseif by his defence of the cainp near visions from Rome The army assembled at Rhe
## p. 426 (#446) ############################################
426
AUGUSTUS.
AUGUSTUS.
:
gium ; but an attempt to cross over to Sicily was cut off the provisions of Rome, which was suffering
thwarted by a naval victory which Pompeius gain- greatly from scarcity : scenes of violence and out-
ed over Q. Salvidienus Rufus in the very sight of rage at Rome shewed the exasperation of the peo-
Augustus. Soon after this, Augustus and Antony ple. Augustus could not hope to satisfy the
sailed across the Ionian sea to Greece, as Brutus Romans unless their most urgent wants were
and Cassius were leaving Asia for the west. satisfied by sufficient supplies of food, and this
Augustus was obliged to remain at Dyrrhachium could not be effected in any other way but by a
on account of illness, but as soon as he had recov- reconciliation with Pompcius. Augustus had an
ered a little, he hastened to Philippi in the autumn interview with him on the coast of Misenum, in
of B. C. 42. The battle of Philippi was gained by B. C. 39, at which Pompeius received the procon-
the two triumvirs : Brutus and Cassius in despair sulship and the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, and
put an end to their lives, and their followers Corsica, together with the province of Achaia.
surrendered to the conquerors, with the exception In return for these concessions he was to provide
of those who placed their hopes in Sext. Pompeius. Italy with corn. In order to convince the Romans
After this successful war, in which the victory of the sincerity of his intentions, Augustus be-
was mainly owing to Antony, though subsequently trothed M. Marcellus, the son of Octavia and step-
Augustus claimed all the merit for himself
, the son of Antony, who was present on this occasion,
triumvirs made a new division of the provinces to a daughter of Pompeius.
Lepidus obtained Africa, and Augustus returned Peace seemed now to be restored everywhere.
to Italy to reward his veterans with the lands he Antony returned to the East, where his generals
had promised them. All Italy was in fear and had been successful, and Augustus too received
trembling, as every one anticipated the repetition favourable news from his lieutenants in Spain and
of the horrors of a proscription. His enemies, Gaul. Augustus, however, was anxious for an op-
especially Fulvia, the wife of Antony, and some portunity of a war, by which he might deprive
other of the friends of the latter, increased these Sext. Pompeius of the provinces which had been
apprehensions by false reports in order to excite ceded to him at Misenum. A pretext was soon
the people against him ; for Augustus was detained found in the fact, that Pompeius allowed piracy to
for some time at Brundusium by a fresh attack of go on in the Mediterranean. Augustus solicited
illness. But he pacified the minds of the people the aid of the two other triumvirs, but they did
by a letter which he wrote to the senate. not support him ; and Antony was in reality glad
These circumstances not only prevented for to see Augustus engaged in a struggle in which he
the present his undertaking anything fresh against was sure to suffer. The fleet of Augustus suffered
Sext. Pompeius, but occasioned a new and unex- greatly from storms and the activity of Demochares,
pected war. On his arrival at Rome, Augustus the admiral of Pompeius; but the latter did not
found that Fulvia had been spreading these follow up the advantages he had gained, and Au-
rumours with the view of drawing away her hus- gustus thus obtained time to repair his ships, and
band from the arms of Cleopatra, and that L. send Maecenas to Antony to invite him again to
Antonius, the brother of the triumvir, was used take part in the war. Antony hereupon sailed to
by her as an instrument to gain her objects. Au- Tarentum, in the beginning of the year 37, with
gustus did all he could to avoid a rupture, but in 300 ships ; but, on his arrival there, Augustus had
vain. L. Antonius assembled an army at Prae- changed his mind, and declined the assistance.
neste, with which he threw himself into the This conduct exasperated Antony; but his wife,
fortified town of Perusia, where he was blockaded Octavia, acted as mediator ; the two triumvirs met
by Augustus with three armies, so that a fearful between Tarentum and Metapontum, and the ur-
famine arose in the place. This happened towards gent necessity of the times compelled them to lay
the end of B. c. 41. After several attempts to aside their mutual mistrust. Augustus promised
break through the blockading armies, L. Antonius an army to Antony for his Parthian war, while
was obliged to surrender. The citizens of Perusia Antony sent 120 ships to increase the fleet of Au-
obtained pardon from Augustus, but the senators gustus, and both agreed to prolong their office of
were put to death, and from three to four hundred triumvirs for five years longer. While Antony
noble Perusines were butchered on the 15th of hastened to Syria, Octavia remained with her bro-
March, B. c. 40, at the altar of Caesar. Fulvia ther. Soon after this, M. Vipsanius Agrippa re-
fled to Greece, and Tiberius Nero, with his wife ceived the command of the fleet of Augustus, and
Livia, to Pompeius in Sicily and thence to Antony, in July of the year 36, Sicily was attacked on all
who blamed the authors of the war, probably for sides; but storms compelled the fleet of Augustus
no other reason but because it had been unsuccess- to return, and Lepidus alone succeeded in landing
ful. Antony, however, sailed with his fleet to at Lily baeum. Pompeius remained in his usual
Brundusium, and preparations for war were made inactivity ; in a sea-fight off Mylae he lost thirty
on both sides, but the news of the death of Fulvia ships, and Augustus landed at Tauromenium.
in Greece accelerated a peace, which was concluded Agrippa at last, in a decisive naval battle, put an
at Brundusium, between the two trium virs. A end to the contest, and Pompeius fied to Asia.
new division of the provinces was again made : Lepidus, who had on all occasions been treated
Augustus obtained all the parts of the empire west with neglect, now wanted to take Sicily for him-
of the town of Scodra in Illyricum, and Antony self ; but Augustus easily gained over his troops,
the eastern provinces, while Italy was to belong to and Lepidus himself submitted. He was sent to
them in common. Antony also formed an engage Rome by Augustus, and resided there for the re-
ment with the noble-minded Octavia, the sister of mainder of his life as pontifex maximus. The
Augustus and widow of C. Marcellus, in order to forces which Augustus had under his command
confirm the new friendship. "The marriage was now amounted, according to Appian, to forty-five
celebrated at Rome. Sext. Pompeius, who had legions, independent of the light-armed troops and
had no share in these transactions, continued to the cavalry, and to 600 ships. Augustus rewarded
## p. 427 (#447) ############################################
AUGUSTUS.
427
AUGUSTUS.
various ways.
his soldiers with garlands and money, and promised gustus, to suit his own purpose, imposed only a fine
still further rewards ; but the veterans insisted upon the inhabitants, and leaving his legate Fufius
upon their dismission, and upon receiving (at once) Geminus behind with a garrison of twenty-five
the lands and all the sums that had been promised cohorts, he retumed to Rome. Octavia had in the
them. Augustus quelled the rebellion in its com- meantime been repudiated by Antony; and at the
mencement by severity combined with liberality : request of Augustus the senate declared Octavia
he dismissed the veterans who had fought at Mu- and Livia in violable, and granted them the right
tina and Philippi, and ordered them to quit Sicily of conducting their own affairs without any male
immediately, that their disposition might not spread assistance—an apparent reparation for the insult
further among the soldiers. The latter were satis- offered to Octavia by her husband, but in reality a
fied with the promises of Augustus, which be ful- means of keeping the recollection of it alive. Au-
filled at the expense of Sicily, and lands were as- gustus intended next to make an expedition against
signed to the veterans in Campania Augustus Britain, but the news of fresh revolts in the coun-
now sent back the ships of Antony, and took pos- tries from which he had just returned, altered his
session of Africa. The Roman senate hastened to plan. His generals soon restored peace, but be
honour the conqueror in the most extravagant himself went to Dalmatia, where Agrippa had the
manner; and when he approached the city, which command. Several towns were taken, and neither
Maecenas had governed during his absence, the life nor property was spared. Augustus penetrated
senate and people flocked out to meet bim. Au- as far as Setovia, where he was wounded in his
gustus addressed the senate in a very modest man- knee. After his recovery, he gave the command
ner, and declined some of the distinctions which to Statilius Taurus, and returned to Rome to un-
were offered him. He celebrated his ovation on dertake the consulship for the year B. C. 33, which
the 13th of November, B. C. 36. The abundant le entered upon on the 1st of January together
supply of provisions which was now brought to with L. Volcatius Tullus, and laid down on the
Rome satisfied the wants and wishes of the people; same day, under the pretext of the Dalmatian war,
and as this happy state of things was the result of though his presence there was no longer necessary,
his victory, his interests coincided with those of since Statilius Taurus had already completed the
the people, whose burdens were also lessened in defeat of the Dalmatians. Out of the spoils made
in this war Augustus erected a portico called, after
By the conquest of two of his rivals, Augustus his sister, Octavia. During this year, Agrippa was
had now acquired strength enough to enter upon aedile, and did all he could to gain popularity for
the contest with the third. He first endeavoured, his friend Augustus and himself, and Augustus
however, as much as was in his power, to remedy also made several very useful regulations.
the confusion and demoralisation in which Italy Meantime the arbitrary and arrogant proceedings
had been involved in consequence of the civil wars, of Antony in the East were sufficient of themselves
and he pretended only to wait for the arrival of his to point him out to the Romans as an enemy of
colleague in order to withdraw with him into pri- the republic, but Augustus did not neglect to direct
vate life, as the peace of the republic was now re attention secretly to his follies. Letters now passed
stored. This pretended self-denial did not remain between the iwo triumvirs full of mutual crimina-
unrewarded, for the people elected him pontifex tions; and Antony already purchased from Arta-
maximus, though Lepidus, who held this office, vasdes cavalry for the impending war against his
was yet alive ; and the senate decreed, that he colleague. The rupture between the two triumvirs
should inbabit a public building, that his person was mainly brought about by the jealousy and am-
should be inviolable, and that he should sit by the bition of Cleopatra. During the year B. C. 32,
side of the tribunes. Augustus took every oppor- while Cleopatra kept Antony in a perpetual state
tunity of praising and supporting his absent col- of intoxication, Augustus had time to convince the
league, Antony, and by this stratagem the Romans Romans that the heavy sacrifices he demanded of
gradually became convinced, that if new disputes them were to be made on their own behalf only, as
should break out between them, the fault could not Italy had to fear everything from Antony War
possibly lie with Augustus. But matters did not was now declared against Cleopatra, for Antony
yet come to this : the most urgent thing was to keep was looked upon only as her infatuated slave. In
his troops engaged, and to acquire funds for paying B. C. 31, Augustus was consul for the third time
them. After suppressing a mutiny among the in- with M. Valerius Messalla. Rome was in a state
solent veterans, he prepared for a campaign against of great excitement and alarm, and all classes had
some tribes on the north-eastern coast of the Adri- to make extraordinary exertions. An attempt of
atic, of which the Romans had never become com- Augustus to attack his enemy during the winter
plete masters, and which from time to time refused was frustrated by storms; but, in the spring, his
to pay their tribute. Augustus marched along the fileet, under the command of the able Agrippa,
coast, without meeting with much resistance, until spread over the whole of the eastern part of the
he came near the country of the Japydes: their Adriatic, and Augustus himself with his legions
capital Metulum was strongly fortified and garri- landed in Epeirus. Antony and Cleopatra took
soned; but the perseverance of Augustus and the their station near the promontory of Actium in
courage of his troops compelled the garrison to sur-Acarnania. Their feet had no able rowers, and
render, and the place was changed into a heap of everything depended upon the courage of the sol-
ashes by the brave Japydes themselves ( B. C. 35). As diers and the size of their ships. Some persons
the season of the year was not yet much advanced, ventured to doubt the safety of entering upon a
Augustus undertook a campaign against the Pan- sea-fight, but Cleopatra's opinion prevailed, and
nonians in Segestica. After several engagements the battle of Actium was fought in September, 31.
during their march through the country, the Ro- As soon as the queen observed that victory was
mans appeared before the town of Segesti, which, not certain on her side, she took to flight, and An-
after a siege of thirty days, sued for pardon. Au- tony soon followed her. His flect fought in vain
a
## p. 428 (#448) ############################################
428
AUGUSTUS.
AUGUSTUS.
to the last, and, after a long hesitation, the land | longer. This plan was afterwards repeated several
forces surrendered.
times, and he apparently allowed himself to be al-
The danger which had threatened to bring Rome ways persuaded to retain his power either for ten
under the dominion of an eastern queen was thus or five years longer. He next made a division of
removed, the ambition of Augustus was satisfied, the provinces, leaving the quiet and peaceful ones
and his generosity met with general admiration. to the senate, and retaining for himself those which
After the battle of Actium, he proceeded slowly required the presence of an ariny. The adminis-
through Greece and a part of western Asia, where tration of the former was given every year by the
he entered on his fourth consulship for the year senate to proconsuls, while Augustus placed the
B. C. 30, and passed the winter at Samos. The others under legati Cacsaris, sometimes also called
confidence of his army in him grew with his suc- propraetores, whom he appointed at any time he
cess, but the veterans again shewed symptoms of pleased. He declined all honours and distinctions
discontent, and demanded the fulfilment of the which were calculated to remind the Romans of
promises made to them. Soon after, they broke kingly power ; he preferred allowing the republican
out into open rebellion, and Augustus hastened forms to continue, in order that he might imper-
from Samos to remedy the evil in person. It was ceptibly concentrate in his own person all the
with great difficulty that he escaped the storms powers which had hitherto been separated. He
and arrived at Brundusium. Here he was met by accepted, however, the name of Augustus, which
the Roman senators, equites, and a great number was offered to him on the proposal of L. Munatius
of the people, which emboldened him to ask for Plancus. In B. c. 23 he entered upon his eleventh
their assistance to pay his soldiers. His requests consulship, but laid it down immediately after-
were readily complied with, and he was enabled to wards; and, after having also declined the dicta-
fulfil his engagements towards the veterans, and torship, which was offered him by the senate, he
assigned lands to them in various parts of the em- accepted the imperium proconsulare and the tribu-
pire. Without going to Rome, he soon after sailed nitia potestas for life, by wbich his inviolability
to Corinth, Rhodes, Syria, and Egypt. Cleopatra was legally established, while by the imperium
negotiated with Augustus to betray Antony ; but proconsulare he became the highest authority in all
when she found that Augustus only wanted to the Roman provinces. When in B. c. 12 Lepidus,
spare her that she might adorn his triumph, she the pontifex maximus, died, Augustus, on whom
put an end to her life. [ANTONIUS, No. 12. ) the title of chief pontiff had been conferred on a
Egypt was made a Roman province, and the booty former occasion, entered upon the office itself.
which Augustus obtained was so immense, that he Thus he became the high priest of the state, and
could easily satisfy the demands of his army. At obtained the highest influence over all the other
Rome the senate and people rivalled each other in colleges of priests. Although he had thus united
devising new honours and distinctions for Augustus, in his own person all the great offices of state, yet
who was now alone at the head of the Roman world. he was too prudent to assume exclusively the titles
In Samos he entered upon his fifth consulship for of all of them, or to shew to the Romans that he
the year B. c. 29. The senate sanctioned all his was the sole master. Other persons were accord-
acts, and conferred upon him many extraordinary ingly allowed to hold the consulship, praetorship,
rights and privileges. The temple of Janus was and other public offices ; but these offices were in
closed, as peace was restored throughout the em- reality mere forms and titles, like the new offices
pire. In August of the same year, Augustus re- which he created to reward his friends and parti-
turned to Rome, and celebrated his threefold sans. Augustus assumed nothing of the outward
triumph over the Pannonians and Dalmatians, appearance of a monarch : he retained the simple
Antony and Egypt; and he obtained the title of mode of living of an ordinary citizen, continued his
imperator for ever.
familiar intimacy with his friends, and appeared in
After these solemnities were over, Augustus un public without any pomp or pageantry; a kingly
dertook the consulship for the year 28 together court, in our sense of the word, did not exist at all
with his friend Agrippa. He was determined from in the reign of Augustus.
the first not to lay down the power which his own His relation to the senate was at first rather un-
successes and the circumstances of the times had defined : in B. c. 28 he had been made princeps
placed in his hands, although he occasionally pre senatus, but in the beginning of the year 24 he
tended that he would resign it. He first directed was exempted by the senate from all the laws of
his attention to the restoration of order in all parts the state. During the latter years of his life, Au-
of the government; and, as he was invested with gustus seldom attended the meetings of the senate,
the censorship, he began by clearing the senate of but formed a sort of privy council, consisting of
all unworthy members; he ejected two hundred twenty senators, with whom he discussed the most
senators, and also raised the senatorial census ; but important political matters. Augustus had no mi-
where a worthy senator's property did not come nisters, in our sense of the word; but on state
up to the new standard, he very liberally made it matters, which he did not choose to be discussed
up out of his own means. He raised many ple- in public, he consulted his personal friends, C. Cil-
beian families to the rank of patricians; and as he nius Maecenas, M. Vipsanius Agrippa, M. Valerius
had a predilection for ancient, especially religious, Messalla Corvinus, and Asinius Pollio, all of whom
institutions, he restored several temples which had contributed, each in his way, to increase the splen-
fallen into decay, and also built new ones. The dour of the capital and the welfare of the empire.
keeping of the aerarium was transferred from the The people retained their republican privileges,
quaestors to the praetors and ex-praetors. After though they were mere forms: they still met in
having introduced these and many other useful their assemblies, and elected consuls and other
changes, he proposed in the senate to lay down magistrates; but only such persons were elected as
his powers, but allowed himself to be prevailed had been proposed or recommended by the emperor.
upon to remain at the head of affairs for ten years | The almost uninterrupted festivities, games, and
## p. 429 (#449) ############################################
AUGUSTUS.
429
AUGUSTUS.
distributions of corn, and the like, made the people | fore to the hostile inronds of barbarians.
In
forget the substance of their republican freedom; B. C. 27, Augustus sent M. Crassus to check the
and they were ready to serve him who fed them incursions of the Dacians, Bastarnians, and Moe-
most liberally : the population of the city was then sians on the Danube ; and, in the same year, he
little better than a mob.
himself went to Gaul and Spain, and began the
It was a necessary consequence of the dominion conquest of the warlike Cantabri and Asturii, whose
acquired by force of arms, that standing armies subjugation, however, was not completed till B. C.
(castra statira) were kept on the frontiers of the 19 by Agrippa. During this campaign Augustus
empire, as on the Rhinc, the Danube, and the founded several towns for his veterans, such as
Euphrates, which in many instances became the Augusta Emerita and Caesar Augusta. In B. C.
foundations of flourishing towns. The veterans 21 Augustus travelled through Sicily and Greece,
were distributed into a number of colonies. For and spent the winter following at Samos. After
the protection of his own person, Augustus esta- this, he went to Syria at the invitation of Tiridates,
blished ten praetorian cohorts, consisting of one who had been expelled from his kingdom of Par-
thousand men each, which were placed under the thia. The ruling king, Phraates, for fear of the
command of two equites with the title of praefecti Romans, sent back the standards and prisoners
praetorio. For the purpose of maintaining order which had been taken from Crassus and Antony.
and security in the city, he instituted a sort of Towards the end of the year 20, Augustus returned
police, under the name of cohortes urbanae, which to Samos, to spend the approaching winter there.
were under the command of the praefectus urbi. Here ambassadors from Indin appeared before him,
The fleets were stationed at Ravenna, Misenum, with presents from their king, Pandion, to confirm
and in various ports of the provinces. In the divi- the friendship which had been sought on a former
sion of the provinces which Augustus had made in occasion. In the autumn of B. C. 19, he returned
B. C. 27, especial regulations were made to secure to Rome, where new honours and distinctions were
strict justice in their administration ; in conse- conferred upon him. His vanity was so much gra-
quence of which many, especially those which were tified at these bloodless victories which he had
not oppressed by armies, enjoyed a period of great obtained in Syria and Samos, that he struck medals
prosperity. Egypt was governed in a manner to commemorate them, and afterwards dedicated
different from that of all other provinces. The the standards which he had received from Phraates
division of the provinces was necessarily followed in the new temple of Mars Ultor. In B. (r. 18, the
by a change in the administration of the finances, imperium of Augustus was prolonged for five years,
which were in a bad condition, partly in conse- and about the same time he increased the number
quence of the civil wars, and partly through all the of senators to 600. The wars in Armenia, in the
domain lands in Italy having been assigned to the Alps, and on the Lower Rhine, were conducted by
veterans. The system of taxation was revised, his generals with varying success. In B. c. 16 the
and the taxes increased. The aerarium, out of Romans suffered a defeat on the Lower Rhine by
which the senate defrayed the public expenses,
some German tribes; and Augustus, who thought
was separated from the fiscus, the funds of the the danger greater than it really was, went himself
emperor, out of which he paid his armies.
to Gaul, and spent two years there, to regulate the
Augustus enacted several laws to improve the government of that province, and to make the ne-
moral condition of the Romans, and to secure the cessary preparations for defending it against the
public peace and safety. Thus he made several Germans. In B. c. 13 be returned to Roine, leav-
regulations to prevent the recurrence of scarcity and | ing the protection of the frontier on the Rhine to
famine, promoted industry, and constructed 'roads his step-son, Drusus Nero. In B. c. 9 he again
and other works of public utility. The large sums went to Gaul, where he received German ambassa-
of money which were put into circulation revived dors, who sued for peace; but be treacherously
commerce and industry, from which the eastern detained them, and distributed them in the towns
provinces especially and Egypt derired great ad- of Gaul, where they put an end to their lives in
vantages.
despair. Towards the end of this year, he returned
Although Augustus, who must have been star- to Rome with Tiberius and Drusus. From this
tled and frightened by the murder of Caesar, treat time forward, Augustus does not appear to have
ed the Romans with the utmost caution and mild-again taken any active part in the wars that were
ness, and endeavoured to keep out of sight every carried on. Those in Germany were the most for-
thing that might shew him in the light of a sove midable, and lasted longer than the reign of Au-
reign, yet several conspiracies against his life re- gustus.
minded him that there were still persons of a In A. D. 13, Augustus, who had then reached
republican spirit. It will be sufficient here to his 75th year, again undertook the government of
mention the names of the leaders of these conspi- the empire for ten years longer; but be threw
racies,–M. Lepidus, L. Murena, Fannius Caepio, some part of the burden upon his adopted son and
and Cornelius Cinna, who are treated of in sepa- successor, Tiberius, by making him his colleague.
rate articles.
In the year following, A. D. 14, Tiberius was to
After this brief sketch of the internal affairs of undertake a campaign in Nlyricum, and Augustus,
the Roman empire during the reign of Augustus, though he was bowed down by old age, by domestic
it only remains to give some account of the wars misfortunes and cares of every kind, accompanied
in which he himself took part. Most of them him as far as Naples. On his return, he was taken
were conducted by his friends and relations, and ill at Nola, and died there on the 29th of August,
need not be noticed here. On the whole, we inay A. D. 14, at the age of 76. When he felt his end
remark, that the wars of the reign of Augustus approaching, he is said to have asked his friends
were not wars of aggression, but chiefly undertaken who were present whether he had not acted his
to secure the Roman dominion and to protect the part well. He died very gently in the arms of his
frontiers, which were now more exposed than be | wife, Livia, who kept the event secret, until Tibe-
## p. 430 (#450) ############################################
430
AUGUSTUS.
AUGUSTUS.
rius had returned to Nola, where he was immedi- the son of his sister Octavia, who was married to his
ately saluted as the successor of Augustus. The daughter, Julia Agrippa, jealous of Augustus'
body of the emperor was carried by the decuriones partiality for him, left Rome, and did not return
of Nola to Bovillae, where it was received by the till Marcellus had died in the flower of his life.
Roman equites and conveyed to Rome. The 80- Julia was now compelled by her father to marry
lemn apotheosis took place in the Campus Martius, the aged Agrippa, and her sons, Caius and Lucius
and bis ashes were deposited in the mausoleum Caesar, were raised to the dignity of principes ju-
which he himself had built.
ventutis. At the death of Agrippa, in B. c. 12,
As regards the domestic life of Augustus, he was Tiberius was obliged to divorce his wife, Vipsania,
one of those unhappy men whom fortune surrounds and, contrary to his own will, to marry Julia.
with all her outward splendour, and who can yet Dissatisfied with her conduct and the elevation of
partake but little of the general happiness which her sons, he went, in B. c. 6, to Rhodes, where he
they establish or promote. His domestic misfor- spent eight years, to avoid living with Julia. Au-
tunes must have embittered all his enjoyments. gustus, who became at last disgusted with her
Augustus was a man of great caution and modera- conduct, sent her in B. c. 2 into exile in the island
tion—two qualities by which he maintained his of Pandataria, near the coast of Campania, whither
power over the Roman world; but in his matri- she was followed by her mother, Scribonia. The
monial relations and as a father he was not happy, children of Julia, Julia the Younger and Agrippa
chiefly through his own fault. He was first mar- Postumus, were likewise banished. The grief of
ried, though only nominally, to Clodia, a daughter Augustus was increased by the deaths of his friend
of Clodius and Fulvia. His second wife, Scribonia, Maecenas, in B. C. 8, and of his two grandsons,
was a relation of Sext. Pompeius : she bore him Caius and Lucius Caesar, who are said to have
his only daughter, Julia. After he had divorced fallen victims to the ambitious designs of Livia,
Scribonia, he married Livia Drusilla, who was car- who wished to make room for her own son, Tibe-
ried away from her husband, Tiberius Nero, in a rius, whom the deluded emperor was persuaded to
state of pregnancy. She brought Augustus two adopt and to make his colleague and successor.
step-sons, Tiberius Nero and Nero Claudius Dru- Tiberius, in return, was obliged to adopt Drusus
She secured the love and attachment of her Germanicus, the son of his late brother, Drusus.
husband to the last moments of his life. Augustus A more complete view of the family of Augustus
had at first fixed on M. Marcellus as his successor, ' is given in the annexed stemma.
BUS.
STEMMA OF AUGUSTUS AND HIS FAMILY.
1. Ancharia.
C. Octavius, praetor in B. C. 61, married to
2. Atia, daughter of M. Atius Balbus and Julia, a sister of C. Julius Caesar.
Octavia, the elder.
1. Octavia, the younger.
2. C. Octavius (C. JULIUS CAESAR OCTAVI-
ANUS AUGUSTUS), married to
1. Clodia. 2. Scribonia 3. Livia
1
Julia, married to
1. M. Marcellus. 2. M. Vipsanius Agrippa. 3. TIBERIUS, emperor.
No issue.
No issue.
1. C. Caesar, married to Livia, 2. L. Caesar, betrothed 3. Julia, married
the sister of Germanicus. to Aemilia Lepida to L. Aemilius
Died A. D. 4.
Died A. D. 2.
Paullus.
4. Agrip 5. Agrippa
na, Postu-
mar-
mus.
ried to
Put to
Germa- death
nicus.
A, D. 14.
1. M. Aemilius Lepidus,
married to Drusilla,
daughter of Germanicus.
2. Aemilia Lepida,
married to
1. Ap. Junius Silanus. 2. Drusus.
1. L. Silanus.
2. M. Silanus.
3. Junia Calvina.
1. Nero, married 2. Drusus,
to Julia, dau. married to
of Drusus, the Aemilia
son of Tiberius. Lepida.
(Tac. Ann. vi. (Tac. Anne
27. )
vi. 40. )
3. CALIGULA, 4. Agrippina, 5. Drusilla, married 6. Livia or Li-
einperor.
married to to l. L. Cassius, villa, married
Cn. Domi- and 2. M. Aemil. to 1. M. Vic
tius.
Lepidus.
cinius,
2. Quintilius
Varus. (1)
NBRO, emperor.
## p. 431 (#451) ############################################
AVIANUS.
431
AVIANUS.
66
Our space does not allow us here to enter into gument derived from the style of these compositions
a critical examination of the character of Augus must, to every reader of taste and discrimination,
t118: what he did is recorded in history, and public appear conclusive. Nothing can be imagined more
opinion in his own time praised him for it as an unlike the vigorous, bold, spirited, and highly em-
excellent prince and statesman ; the investigation bellished rotundity which characterizes the Des-
of the hidden motives of his actions is such a deli- criptio Orbis and the Aratea than the feeble, hesi-
cate subject, that both ancient and modern writers tating, dull meagreness of the fabulist.
(ANTONIUS, p. 215, b. ] Augustus had to con- repealed the sentence of outlawry against Antony
tend against Dec. Brutus, who was in possession and Lepidus, who were just descending from the
of Cisalpine Gaul, as well as against Antony; but Alps with an army of 17 legions. D. Brutus took
to get rid of one enemy at least, the sword was to flight, and was afterwards murdered at Aquileia
drawn against the latter, the more dangerous of at the command of Antony. On their arrival at
the two. While Antony was collecting troops for Bononia, Antony and Lepidus were met by Au-
the war against D. Brutus, two of the legions gustus, who became reconciled with them. It was
which came from Macedonia, the legio Martia agreed by the three, that Augustus should lay
and the fifth, went over to Augustus; and to pre- down his consulship, and that the empire should
vent the remaining troops following the example, be divided among them under the title of triumviri
Antony hastened with them to the north of Italy. rei publicae constituendae, and that this arrange
Cicero, who had at first looked upon Augustus ment should last for the next five years. Lenidus
with contempt, now began to regard him as the obtained Spain, Antony Gaul, and Augustus Africa,
only man capable of delivering the republic from Sardinia, and Sicily. Antony and Augustus were
its troubles ; and Augustus in return courted to prosecute the war against the murderers of
Cicero. On the 10th of December, Cicero, in his Caesar. The first objects of the triumvirs were to
third Philippic, proposed that Augustus should be destroy their enemies and the republican party ;
entrusted with the command of the army against they began their proscriptions even before they
Antony, and on the first of January, B. C. 43, he arrived a: Rome; their enemies were murdered
repeated the same proposal in his fifth Philippic. and their property confiscated, and Augustus was
The senate now granted more than had been no less cruel than Antony. Two thousand equites
asked : Augustus obtained the command of the and three hundred senators are said to have been
army with the title and insignia of a praetor, the put to death during this proscription : the lands of
right of voting in the senate with the consulars, whole townships were taken from their owners
and of holding the consulship ten years before he and distributed among the veteran soldiers. Num-
attained the legitimate age. He was accordingly bers of Roman citizens took to flight, and found a
sent by the senate, with the two consuls of the refuge with Sex. Pompeius in Sicily. Augustus
year, C. Vibius Pansa and A. Hirtius, to compel first directed his arms against the latter, because
Antony to raise the siege of Mutina. Augustus dis- Pompeius had it in his power to cut off all pru-
tinguished himseif by his defence of the cainp near visions from Rome The army assembled at Rhe
## p. 426 (#446) ############################################
426
AUGUSTUS.
AUGUSTUS.
:
gium ; but an attempt to cross over to Sicily was cut off the provisions of Rome, which was suffering
thwarted by a naval victory which Pompeius gain- greatly from scarcity : scenes of violence and out-
ed over Q. Salvidienus Rufus in the very sight of rage at Rome shewed the exasperation of the peo-
Augustus. Soon after this, Augustus and Antony ple. Augustus could not hope to satisfy the
sailed across the Ionian sea to Greece, as Brutus Romans unless their most urgent wants were
and Cassius were leaving Asia for the west. satisfied by sufficient supplies of food, and this
Augustus was obliged to remain at Dyrrhachium could not be effected in any other way but by a
on account of illness, but as soon as he had recov- reconciliation with Pompcius. Augustus had an
ered a little, he hastened to Philippi in the autumn interview with him on the coast of Misenum, in
of B. C. 42. The battle of Philippi was gained by B. C. 39, at which Pompeius received the procon-
the two triumvirs : Brutus and Cassius in despair sulship and the islands of Sicily, Sardinia, and
put an end to their lives, and their followers Corsica, together with the province of Achaia.
surrendered to the conquerors, with the exception In return for these concessions he was to provide
of those who placed their hopes in Sext. Pompeius. Italy with corn. In order to convince the Romans
After this successful war, in which the victory of the sincerity of his intentions, Augustus be-
was mainly owing to Antony, though subsequently trothed M. Marcellus, the son of Octavia and step-
Augustus claimed all the merit for himself
, the son of Antony, who was present on this occasion,
triumvirs made a new division of the provinces to a daughter of Pompeius.
Lepidus obtained Africa, and Augustus returned Peace seemed now to be restored everywhere.
to Italy to reward his veterans with the lands he Antony returned to the East, where his generals
had promised them. All Italy was in fear and had been successful, and Augustus too received
trembling, as every one anticipated the repetition favourable news from his lieutenants in Spain and
of the horrors of a proscription. His enemies, Gaul. Augustus, however, was anxious for an op-
especially Fulvia, the wife of Antony, and some portunity of a war, by which he might deprive
other of the friends of the latter, increased these Sext. Pompeius of the provinces which had been
apprehensions by false reports in order to excite ceded to him at Misenum. A pretext was soon
the people against him ; for Augustus was detained found in the fact, that Pompeius allowed piracy to
for some time at Brundusium by a fresh attack of go on in the Mediterranean. Augustus solicited
illness. But he pacified the minds of the people the aid of the two other triumvirs, but they did
by a letter which he wrote to the senate. not support him ; and Antony was in reality glad
These circumstances not only prevented for to see Augustus engaged in a struggle in which he
the present his undertaking anything fresh against was sure to suffer. The fleet of Augustus suffered
Sext. Pompeius, but occasioned a new and unex- greatly from storms and the activity of Demochares,
pected war. On his arrival at Rome, Augustus the admiral of Pompeius; but the latter did not
found that Fulvia had been spreading these follow up the advantages he had gained, and Au-
rumours with the view of drawing away her hus- gustus thus obtained time to repair his ships, and
band from the arms of Cleopatra, and that L. send Maecenas to Antony to invite him again to
Antonius, the brother of the triumvir, was used take part in the war. Antony hereupon sailed to
by her as an instrument to gain her objects. Au- Tarentum, in the beginning of the year 37, with
gustus did all he could to avoid a rupture, but in 300 ships ; but, on his arrival there, Augustus had
vain. L. Antonius assembled an army at Prae- changed his mind, and declined the assistance.
neste, with which he threw himself into the This conduct exasperated Antony; but his wife,
fortified town of Perusia, where he was blockaded Octavia, acted as mediator ; the two triumvirs met
by Augustus with three armies, so that a fearful between Tarentum and Metapontum, and the ur-
famine arose in the place. This happened towards gent necessity of the times compelled them to lay
the end of B. c. 41. After several attempts to aside their mutual mistrust. Augustus promised
break through the blockading armies, L. Antonius an army to Antony for his Parthian war, while
was obliged to surrender. The citizens of Perusia Antony sent 120 ships to increase the fleet of Au-
obtained pardon from Augustus, but the senators gustus, and both agreed to prolong their office of
were put to death, and from three to four hundred triumvirs for five years longer. While Antony
noble Perusines were butchered on the 15th of hastened to Syria, Octavia remained with her bro-
March, B. c. 40, at the altar of Caesar. Fulvia ther. Soon after this, M. Vipsanius Agrippa re-
fled to Greece, and Tiberius Nero, with his wife ceived the command of the fleet of Augustus, and
Livia, to Pompeius in Sicily and thence to Antony, in July of the year 36, Sicily was attacked on all
who blamed the authors of the war, probably for sides; but storms compelled the fleet of Augustus
no other reason but because it had been unsuccess- to return, and Lepidus alone succeeded in landing
ful. Antony, however, sailed with his fleet to at Lily baeum. Pompeius remained in his usual
Brundusium, and preparations for war were made inactivity ; in a sea-fight off Mylae he lost thirty
on both sides, but the news of the death of Fulvia ships, and Augustus landed at Tauromenium.
in Greece accelerated a peace, which was concluded Agrippa at last, in a decisive naval battle, put an
at Brundusium, between the two trium virs. A end to the contest, and Pompeius fied to Asia.
new division of the provinces was again made : Lepidus, who had on all occasions been treated
Augustus obtained all the parts of the empire west with neglect, now wanted to take Sicily for him-
of the town of Scodra in Illyricum, and Antony self ; but Augustus easily gained over his troops,
the eastern provinces, while Italy was to belong to and Lepidus himself submitted. He was sent to
them in common. Antony also formed an engage Rome by Augustus, and resided there for the re-
ment with the noble-minded Octavia, the sister of mainder of his life as pontifex maximus. The
Augustus and widow of C. Marcellus, in order to forces which Augustus had under his command
confirm the new friendship. "The marriage was now amounted, according to Appian, to forty-five
celebrated at Rome. Sext. Pompeius, who had legions, independent of the light-armed troops and
had no share in these transactions, continued to the cavalry, and to 600 ships. Augustus rewarded
## p. 427 (#447) ############################################
AUGUSTUS.
427
AUGUSTUS.
various ways.
his soldiers with garlands and money, and promised gustus, to suit his own purpose, imposed only a fine
still further rewards ; but the veterans insisted upon the inhabitants, and leaving his legate Fufius
upon their dismission, and upon receiving (at once) Geminus behind with a garrison of twenty-five
the lands and all the sums that had been promised cohorts, he retumed to Rome. Octavia had in the
them. Augustus quelled the rebellion in its com- meantime been repudiated by Antony; and at the
mencement by severity combined with liberality : request of Augustus the senate declared Octavia
he dismissed the veterans who had fought at Mu- and Livia in violable, and granted them the right
tina and Philippi, and ordered them to quit Sicily of conducting their own affairs without any male
immediately, that their disposition might not spread assistance—an apparent reparation for the insult
further among the soldiers. The latter were satis- offered to Octavia by her husband, but in reality a
fied with the promises of Augustus, which be ful- means of keeping the recollection of it alive. Au-
filled at the expense of Sicily, and lands were as- gustus intended next to make an expedition against
signed to the veterans in Campania Augustus Britain, but the news of fresh revolts in the coun-
now sent back the ships of Antony, and took pos- tries from which he had just returned, altered his
session of Africa. The Roman senate hastened to plan. His generals soon restored peace, but be
honour the conqueror in the most extravagant himself went to Dalmatia, where Agrippa had the
manner; and when he approached the city, which command. Several towns were taken, and neither
Maecenas had governed during his absence, the life nor property was spared. Augustus penetrated
senate and people flocked out to meet bim. Au- as far as Setovia, where he was wounded in his
gustus addressed the senate in a very modest man- knee. After his recovery, he gave the command
ner, and declined some of the distinctions which to Statilius Taurus, and returned to Rome to un-
were offered him. He celebrated his ovation on dertake the consulship for the year B. C. 33, which
the 13th of November, B. C. 36. The abundant le entered upon on the 1st of January together
supply of provisions which was now brought to with L. Volcatius Tullus, and laid down on the
Rome satisfied the wants and wishes of the people; same day, under the pretext of the Dalmatian war,
and as this happy state of things was the result of though his presence there was no longer necessary,
his victory, his interests coincided with those of since Statilius Taurus had already completed the
the people, whose burdens were also lessened in defeat of the Dalmatians. Out of the spoils made
in this war Augustus erected a portico called, after
By the conquest of two of his rivals, Augustus his sister, Octavia. During this year, Agrippa was
had now acquired strength enough to enter upon aedile, and did all he could to gain popularity for
the contest with the third. He first endeavoured, his friend Augustus and himself, and Augustus
however, as much as was in his power, to remedy also made several very useful regulations.
the confusion and demoralisation in which Italy Meantime the arbitrary and arrogant proceedings
had been involved in consequence of the civil wars, of Antony in the East were sufficient of themselves
and he pretended only to wait for the arrival of his to point him out to the Romans as an enemy of
colleague in order to withdraw with him into pri- the republic, but Augustus did not neglect to direct
vate life, as the peace of the republic was now re attention secretly to his follies. Letters now passed
stored. This pretended self-denial did not remain between the iwo triumvirs full of mutual crimina-
unrewarded, for the people elected him pontifex tions; and Antony already purchased from Arta-
maximus, though Lepidus, who held this office, vasdes cavalry for the impending war against his
was yet alive ; and the senate decreed, that he colleague. The rupture between the two triumvirs
should inbabit a public building, that his person was mainly brought about by the jealousy and am-
should be inviolable, and that he should sit by the bition of Cleopatra. During the year B. C. 32,
side of the tribunes. Augustus took every oppor- while Cleopatra kept Antony in a perpetual state
tunity of praising and supporting his absent col- of intoxication, Augustus had time to convince the
league, Antony, and by this stratagem the Romans Romans that the heavy sacrifices he demanded of
gradually became convinced, that if new disputes them were to be made on their own behalf only, as
should break out between them, the fault could not Italy had to fear everything from Antony War
possibly lie with Augustus. But matters did not was now declared against Cleopatra, for Antony
yet come to this : the most urgent thing was to keep was looked upon only as her infatuated slave. In
his troops engaged, and to acquire funds for paying B. C. 31, Augustus was consul for the third time
them. After suppressing a mutiny among the in- with M. Valerius Messalla. Rome was in a state
solent veterans, he prepared for a campaign against of great excitement and alarm, and all classes had
some tribes on the north-eastern coast of the Adri- to make extraordinary exertions. An attempt of
atic, of which the Romans had never become com- Augustus to attack his enemy during the winter
plete masters, and which from time to time refused was frustrated by storms; but, in the spring, his
to pay their tribute. Augustus marched along the fileet, under the command of the able Agrippa,
coast, without meeting with much resistance, until spread over the whole of the eastern part of the
he came near the country of the Japydes: their Adriatic, and Augustus himself with his legions
capital Metulum was strongly fortified and garri- landed in Epeirus. Antony and Cleopatra took
soned; but the perseverance of Augustus and the their station near the promontory of Actium in
courage of his troops compelled the garrison to sur-Acarnania. Their feet had no able rowers, and
render, and the place was changed into a heap of everything depended upon the courage of the sol-
ashes by the brave Japydes themselves ( B. C. 35). As diers and the size of their ships. Some persons
the season of the year was not yet much advanced, ventured to doubt the safety of entering upon a
Augustus undertook a campaign against the Pan- sea-fight, but Cleopatra's opinion prevailed, and
nonians in Segestica. After several engagements the battle of Actium was fought in September, 31.
during their march through the country, the Ro- As soon as the queen observed that victory was
mans appeared before the town of Segesti, which, not certain on her side, she took to flight, and An-
after a siege of thirty days, sued for pardon. Au- tony soon followed her. His flect fought in vain
a
## p. 428 (#448) ############################################
428
AUGUSTUS.
AUGUSTUS.
to the last, and, after a long hesitation, the land | longer. This plan was afterwards repeated several
forces surrendered.
times, and he apparently allowed himself to be al-
The danger which had threatened to bring Rome ways persuaded to retain his power either for ten
under the dominion of an eastern queen was thus or five years longer. He next made a division of
removed, the ambition of Augustus was satisfied, the provinces, leaving the quiet and peaceful ones
and his generosity met with general admiration. to the senate, and retaining for himself those which
After the battle of Actium, he proceeded slowly required the presence of an ariny. The adminis-
through Greece and a part of western Asia, where tration of the former was given every year by the
he entered on his fourth consulship for the year senate to proconsuls, while Augustus placed the
B. C. 30, and passed the winter at Samos. The others under legati Cacsaris, sometimes also called
confidence of his army in him grew with his suc- propraetores, whom he appointed at any time he
cess, but the veterans again shewed symptoms of pleased. He declined all honours and distinctions
discontent, and demanded the fulfilment of the which were calculated to remind the Romans of
promises made to them. Soon after, they broke kingly power ; he preferred allowing the republican
out into open rebellion, and Augustus hastened forms to continue, in order that he might imper-
from Samos to remedy the evil in person. It was ceptibly concentrate in his own person all the
with great difficulty that he escaped the storms powers which had hitherto been separated. He
and arrived at Brundusium. Here he was met by accepted, however, the name of Augustus, which
the Roman senators, equites, and a great number was offered to him on the proposal of L. Munatius
of the people, which emboldened him to ask for Plancus. In B. c. 23 he entered upon his eleventh
their assistance to pay his soldiers. His requests consulship, but laid it down immediately after-
were readily complied with, and he was enabled to wards; and, after having also declined the dicta-
fulfil his engagements towards the veterans, and torship, which was offered him by the senate, he
assigned lands to them in various parts of the em- accepted the imperium proconsulare and the tribu-
pire. Without going to Rome, he soon after sailed nitia potestas for life, by wbich his inviolability
to Corinth, Rhodes, Syria, and Egypt. Cleopatra was legally established, while by the imperium
negotiated with Augustus to betray Antony ; but proconsulare he became the highest authority in all
when she found that Augustus only wanted to the Roman provinces. When in B. c. 12 Lepidus,
spare her that she might adorn his triumph, she the pontifex maximus, died, Augustus, on whom
put an end to her life. [ANTONIUS, No. 12. ) the title of chief pontiff had been conferred on a
Egypt was made a Roman province, and the booty former occasion, entered upon the office itself.
which Augustus obtained was so immense, that he Thus he became the high priest of the state, and
could easily satisfy the demands of his army. At obtained the highest influence over all the other
Rome the senate and people rivalled each other in colleges of priests. Although he had thus united
devising new honours and distinctions for Augustus, in his own person all the great offices of state, yet
who was now alone at the head of the Roman world. he was too prudent to assume exclusively the titles
In Samos he entered upon his fifth consulship for of all of them, or to shew to the Romans that he
the year B. c. 29. The senate sanctioned all his was the sole master. Other persons were accord-
acts, and conferred upon him many extraordinary ingly allowed to hold the consulship, praetorship,
rights and privileges. The temple of Janus was and other public offices ; but these offices were in
closed, as peace was restored throughout the em- reality mere forms and titles, like the new offices
pire. In August of the same year, Augustus re- which he created to reward his friends and parti-
turned to Rome, and celebrated his threefold sans. Augustus assumed nothing of the outward
triumph over the Pannonians and Dalmatians, appearance of a monarch : he retained the simple
Antony and Egypt; and he obtained the title of mode of living of an ordinary citizen, continued his
imperator for ever.
familiar intimacy with his friends, and appeared in
After these solemnities were over, Augustus un public without any pomp or pageantry; a kingly
dertook the consulship for the year 28 together court, in our sense of the word, did not exist at all
with his friend Agrippa. He was determined from in the reign of Augustus.
the first not to lay down the power which his own His relation to the senate was at first rather un-
successes and the circumstances of the times had defined : in B. c. 28 he had been made princeps
placed in his hands, although he occasionally pre senatus, but in the beginning of the year 24 he
tended that he would resign it. He first directed was exempted by the senate from all the laws of
his attention to the restoration of order in all parts the state. During the latter years of his life, Au-
of the government; and, as he was invested with gustus seldom attended the meetings of the senate,
the censorship, he began by clearing the senate of but formed a sort of privy council, consisting of
all unworthy members; he ejected two hundred twenty senators, with whom he discussed the most
senators, and also raised the senatorial census ; but important political matters. Augustus had no mi-
where a worthy senator's property did not come nisters, in our sense of the word; but on state
up to the new standard, he very liberally made it matters, which he did not choose to be discussed
up out of his own means. He raised many ple- in public, he consulted his personal friends, C. Cil-
beian families to the rank of patricians; and as he nius Maecenas, M. Vipsanius Agrippa, M. Valerius
had a predilection for ancient, especially religious, Messalla Corvinus, and Asinius Pollio, all of whom
institutions, he restored several temples which had contributed, each in his way, to increase the splen-
fallen into decay, and also built new ones. The dour of the capital and the welfare of the empire.
keeping of the aerarium was transferred from the The people retained their republican privileges,
quaestors to the praetors and ex-praetors. After though they were mere forms: they still met in
having introduced these and many other useful their assemblies, and elected consuls and other
changes, he proposed in the senate to lay down magistrates; but only such persons were elected as
his powers, but allowed himself to be prevailed had been proposed or recommended by the emperor.
upon to remain at the head of affairs for ten years | The almost uninterrupted festivities, games, and
## p. 429 (#449) ############################################
AUGUSTUS.
429
AUGUSTUS.
distributions of corn, and the like, made the people | fore to the hostile inronds of barbarians.
In
forget the substance of their republican freedom; B. C. 27, Augustus sent M. Crassus to check the
and they were ready to serve him who fed them incursions of the Dacians, Bastarnians, and Moe-
most liberally : the population of the city was then sians on the Danube ; and, in the same year, he
little better than a mob.
himself went to Gaul and Spain, and began the
It was a necessary consequence of the dominion conquest of the warlike Cantabri and Asturii, whose
acquired by force of arms, that standing armies subjugation, however, was not completed till B. C.
(castra statira) were kept on the frontiers of the 19 by Agrippa. During this campaign Augustus
empire, as on the Rhinc, the Danube, and the founded several towns for his veterans, such as
Euphrates, which in many instances became the Augusta Emerita and Caesar Augusta. In B. C.
foundations of flourishing towns. The veterans 21 Augustus travelled through Sicily and Greece,
were distributed into a number of colonies. For and spent the winter following at Samos. After
the protection of his own person, Augustus esta- this, he went to Syria at the invitation of Tiridates,
blished ten praetorian cohorts, consisting of one who had been expelled from his kingdom of Par-
thousand men each, which were placed under the thia. The ruling king, Phraates, for fear of the
command of two equites with the title of praefecti Romans, sent back the standards and prisoners
praetorio. For the purpose of maintaining order which had been taken from Crassus and Antony.
and security in the city, he instituted a sort of Towards the end of the year 20, Augustus returned
police, under the name of cohortes urbanae, which to Samos, to spend the approaching winter there.
were under the command of the praefectus urbi. Here ambassadors from Indin appeared before him,
The fleets were stationed at Ravenna, Misenum, with presents from their king, Pandion, to confirm
and in various ports of the provinces. In the divi- the friendship which had been sought on a former
sion of the provinces which Augustus had made in occasion. In the autumn of B. C. 19, he returned
B. C. 27, especial regulations were made to secure to Rome, where new honours and distinctions were
strict justice in their administration ; in conse- conferred upon him. His vanity was so much gra-
quence of which many, especially those which were tified at these bloodless victories which he had
not oppressed by armies, enjoyed a period of great obtained in Syria and Samos, that he struck medals
prosperity. Egypt was governed in a manner to commemorate them, and afterwards dedicated
different from that of all other provinces. The the standards which he had received from Phraates
division of the provinces was necessarily followed in the new temple of Mars Ultor. In B. (r. 18, the
by a change in the administration of the finances, imperium of Augustus was prolonged for five years,
which were in a bad condition, partly in conse- and about the same time he increased the number
quence of the civil wars, and partly through all the of senators to 600. The wars in Armenia, in the
domain lands in Italy having been assigned to the Alps, and on the Lower Rhine, were conducted by
veterans. The system of taxation was revised, his generals with varying success. In B. c. 16 the
and the taxes increased. The aerarium, out of Romans suffered a defeat on the Lower Rhine by
which the senate defrayed the public expenses,
some German tribes; and Augustus, who thought
was separated from the fiscus, the funds of the the danger greater than it really was, went himself
emperor, out of which he paid his armies.
to Gaul, and spent two years there, to regulate the
Augustus enacted several laws to improve the government of that province, and to make the ne-
moral condition of the Romans, and to secure the cessary preparations for defending it against the
public peace and safety. Thus he made several Germans. In B. c. 13 be returned to Roine, leav-
regulations to prevent the recurrence of scarcity and | ing the protection of the frontier on the Rhine to
famine, promoted industry, and constructed 'roads his step-son, Drusus Nero. In B. c. 9 he again
and other works of public utility. The large sums went to Gaul, where he received German ambassa-
of money which were put into circulation revived dors, who sued for peace; but be treacherously
commerce and industry, from which the eastern detained them, and distributed them in the towns
provinces especially and Egypt derired great ad- of Gaul, where they put an end to their lives in
vantages.
despair. Towards the end of this year, he returned
Although Augustus, who must have been star- to Rome with Tiberius and Drusus. From this
tled and frightened by the murder of Caesar, treat time forward, Augustus does not appear to have
ed the Romans with the utmost caution and mild-again taken any active part in the wars that were
ness, and endeavoured to keep out of sight every carried on. Those in Germany were the most for-
thing that might shew him in the light of a sove midable, and lasted longer than the reign of Au-
reign, yet several conspiracies against his life re- gustus.
minded him that there were still persons of a In A. D. 13, Augustus, who had then reached
republican spirit. It will be sufficient here to his 75th year, again undertook the government of
mention the names of the leaders of these conspi- the empire for ten years longer; but be threw
racies,–M. Lepidus, L. Murena, Fannius Caepio, some part of the burden upon his adopted son and
and Cornelius Cinna, who are treated of in sepa- successor, Tiberius, by making him his colleague.
rate articles.
In the year following, A. D. 14, Tiberius was to
After this brief sketch of the internal affairs of undertake a campaign in Nlyricum, and Augustus,
the Roman empire during the reign of Augustus, though he was bowed down by old age, by domestic
it only remains to give some account of the wars misfortunes and cares of every kind, accompanied
in which he himself took part. Most of them him as far as Naples. On his return, he was taken
were conducted by his friends and relations, and ill at Nola, and died there on the 29th of August,
need not be noticed here. On the whole, we inay A. D. 14, at the age of 76. When he felt his end
remark, that the wars of the reign of Augustus approaching, he is said to have asked his friends
were not wars of aggression, but chiefly undertaken who were present whether he had not acted his
to secure the Roman dominion and to protect the part well. He died very gently in the arms of his
frontiers, which were now more exposed than be | wife, Livia, who kept the event secret, until Tibe-
## p. 430 (#450) ############################################
430
AUGUSTUS.
AUGUSTUS.
rius had returned to Nola, where he was immedi- the son of his sister Octavia, who was married to his
ately saluted as the successor of Augustus. The daughter, Julia Agrippa, jealous of Augustus'
body of the emperor was carried by the decuriones partiality for him, left Rome, and did not return
of Nola to Bovillae, where it was received by the till Marcellus had died in the flower of his life.
Roman equites and conveyed to Rome. The 80- Julia was now compelled by her father to marry
lemn apotheosis took place in the Campus Martius, the aged Agrippa, and her sons, Caius and Lucius
and bis ashes were deposited in the mausoleum Caesar, were raised to the dignity of principes ju-
which he himself had built.
ventutis. At the death of Agrippa, in B. c. 12,
As regards the domestic life of Augustus, he was Tiberius was obliged to divorce his wife, Vipsania,
one of those unhappy men whom fortune surrounds and, contrary to his own will, to marry Julia.
with all her outward splendour, and who can yet Dissatisfied with her conduct and the elevation of
partake but little of the general happiness which her sons, he went, in B. c. 6, to Rhodes, where he
they establish or promote. His domestic misfor- spent eight years, to avoid living with Julia. Au-
tunes must have embittered all his enjoyments. gustus, who became at last disgusted with her
Augustus was a man of great caution and modera- conduct, sent her in B. c. 2 into exile in the island
tion—two qualities by which he maintained his of Pandataria, near the coast of Campania, whither
power over the Roman world; but in his matri- she was followed by her mother, Scribonia. The
monial relations and as a father he was not happy, children of Julia, Julia the Younger and Agrippa
chiefly through his own fault. He was first mar- Postumus, were likewise banished. The grief of
ried, though only nominally, to Clodia, a daughter Augustus was increased by the deaths of his friend
of Clodius and Fulvia. His second wife, Scribonia, Maecenas, in B. C. 8, and of his two grandsons,
was a relation of Sext. Pompeius : she bore him Caius and Lucius Caesar, who are said to have
his only daughter, Julia. After he had divorced fallen victims to the ambitious designs of Livia,
Scribonia, he married Livia Drusilla, who was car- who wished to make room for her own son, Tibe-
ried away from her husband, Tiberius Nero, in a rius, whom the deluded emperor was persuaded to
state of pregnancy. She brought Augustus two adopt and to make his colleague and successor.
step-sons, Tiberius Nero and Nero Claudius Dru- Tiberius, in return, was obliged to adopt Drusus
She secured the love and attachment of her Germanicus, the son of his late brother, Drusus.
husband to the last moments of his life. Augustus A more complete view of the family of Augustus
had at first fixed on M. Marcellus as his successor, ' is given in the annexed stemma.
BUS.
STEMMA OF AUGUSTUS AND HIS FAMILY.
1. Ancharia.
C. Octavius, praetor in B. C. 61, married to
2. Atia, daughter of M. Atius Balbus and Julia, a sister of C. Julius Caesar.
Octavia, the elder.
1. Octavia, the younger.
2. C. Octavius (C. JULIUS CAESAR OCTAVI-
ANUS AUGUSTUS), married to
1. Clodia. 2. Scribonia 3. Livia
1
Julia, married to
1. M. Marcellus. 2. M. Vipsanius Agrippa. 3. TIBERIUS, emperor.
No issue.
No issue.
1. C. Caesar, married to Livia, 2. L. Caesar, betrothed 3. Julia, married
the sister of Germanicus. to Aemilia Lepida to L. Aemilius
Died A. D. 4.
Died A. D. 2.
Paullus.
4. Agrip 5. Agrippa
na, Postu-
mar-
mus.
ried to
Put to
Germa- death
nicus.
A, D. 14.
1. M. Aemilius Lepidus,
married to Drusilla,
daughter of Germanicus.
2. Aemilia Lepida,
married to
1. Ap. Junius Silanus. 2. Drusus.
1. L. Silanus.
2. M. Silanus.
3. Junia Calvina.
1. Nero, married 2. Drusus,
to Julia, dau. married to
of Drusus, the Aemilia
son of Tiberius. Lepida.
(Tac. Ann. vi. (Tac. Anne
27. )
vi. 40. )
3. CALIGULA, 4. Agrippina, 5. Drusilla, married 6. Livia or Li-
einperor.
married to to l. L. Cassius, villa, married
Cn. Domi- and 2. M. Aemil. to 1. M. Vic
tius.
Lepidus.
cinius,
2. Quintilius
Varus. (1)
NBRO, emperor.
## p. 431 (#451) ############################################
AVIANUS.
431
AVIANUS.
66
Our space does not allow us here to enter into gument derived from the style of these compositions
a critical examination of the character of Augus must, to every reader of taste and discrimination,
t118: what he did is recorded in history, and public appear conclusive. Nothing can be imagined more
opinion in his own time praised him for it as an unlike the vigorous, bold, spirited, and highly em-
excellent prince and statesman ; the investigation bellished rotundity which characterizes the Des-
of the hidden motives of his actions is such a deli- criptio Orbis and the Aratea than the feeble, hesi-
cate subject, that both ancient and modern writers tating, dull meagreness of the fabulist.
