Changes

In Greece, and in Rome, Octavian gained two friends who would remain with him for his professional life: [[Myceneas]], and Marcus Vipsanius [[Agrippa]].  The three were fast friends, especially in adolescence.

In Greece, and in Rome, Octavian gained two friends who would remain with him for his professional life: [[Myceneas]], and Marcus Vipsanius [[Agrippa]].  The three were fast friends, especially in adolescence.

Octavian’s fortunes changed when, upon the death of his uncle Julius Caesar, Caesar’s will was read, naming Octavian as his son-by-posthumous-adoption, not an uncommon practice in ancient [[Rome]].  Caesar had also left Octavian the duty of disbursing nearly all of the money he had accumulated to every [[plebian]] citizen in Rome.

Octavian's fortunes changed when, upon the death of his uncle Julius Caesar, Caesar's will was read, naming Octavian as his son-by-posthumous-adoption, not an uncommon practice in ancient [[Rome]].  Caesar had also left Octavian the duty of disbursing nearly all of the money he had accumulated to every [[plebian]] citizen in Rome.

==Following Ceasar's Death==

==Following Ceasar's Death==

Upon his adoption, Octavian adopted his full name, Caius Julius Caesar Octavianus, taking his adoptive father’s name and using his own as an adjectival ending, in the Roman tradition.  The new “Caesar,” as he quickly came to call himself, immediately pushed for Caesar’s will to be enforced, and his money to be distributed to the citizens.  He also called for his “father,” Julius Caesar, to be deified by the Senate.  As Caesar had become posthumously more popular with the plebeian class after learning that they were the beneficiaries of Caesar’s will, the citizens of Rome clamored until the Senate acceded to the demands, deifying Julius Caesar, and building his Temple on the burnt remains of the [[Senate House]].  Octavian also succeeded in having Caesar’s assassins, ([[Brutus]] and [[Cassius]]), declared enemies of the state, and also forced the Senate into condemning Caesar’s assassination officially.  Brutus and Cassius immediately fled the city.

Upon his adoption, Octavian adopted his full name, Caius Julius Caesar Octavianus, taking his adoptive father's name and using his own as an adjectival ending, in the Roman tradition.  The new “Caesar,” as he quickly came to call himself, immediately pushed for Caesar's will to be enforced, and his money to be distributed to the citizens.  He also called for his “father,” Julius Caesar, to be deified by the Senate.  As Caesar had become posthumously more popular with the plebeian class after learning that they were the beneficiaries of Caesar's will, the citizens of Rome clamored until the Senate acceded to the demands, deifying Julius Caesar, and building his Temple on the burnt remains of the [[Senate House]].  Octavian also succeeded in having Caesar's assassins, ([[Brutus]] and [[Cassius]]), declared enemies of the state, and also forced the Senate into condemning Caesar's assassination officially.  Brutus and Cassius immediately fled the city.

All was not well, though – [[Mark Antony]] was also attempting to portray himself as the rightful heir of Caesar’s legacy, against Octavian’s own claims.  A sticking point was the enforcement of Caesar’s will: Antony felt the money was his by right, but Octavian sought to disburse it to the citizens, as Caesar had requested.  The two immediately fled the city, raised armies, and fought a small battle, which Octavian’s forces quickly won, led to victory by [[Agrippa]].

All was not well, though – [[Mark Antony]] was also attempting to portray himself as the rightful heir of Caesar's legacy, against Octavian's own claims.  A sticking point was the enforcement of Caesar's will: Antony felt the money was his by right, but Octavian sought to disburse it to the citizens, as Caesar had requested.  The two immediately fled the city, raised armies, and fought a small battle, which Octavian's forces quickly won, led to victory by [[Agrippa]].

In the meantime, Brutus and Cassius, who had fled to the East to raise an army, were returning to Rome to crush Octavian, who had now become the popular favorite to be Caesar’s heir.  As a result of the threat posed by Brutus and Cassius to both Antony and Octavian’s designs, the two set aside their differences, and formed a secret alliance to defeat Brutus and Cassius.  They sought the financial backing of [[Marcus Lepidus]], and formed the [[Second Triumvirate]] to the ends of crushing Brutus and Cassius, and restoring order to Rome.  To prevent their secret alliance from becoming public knowledge, and to raise funds, the three triumvirs ordered many prominent citizens killed, and their property confiscated.  Marcus Tullius [[Cicero]] was one such target.  The Triumvirate also disbursed Caesar’s will to the plebeians, as Caesar had requested, creating instant popular favor towards Octavian and Antony.

In the meantime, Brutus and Cassius, who had fled to the East to raise an army, were returning to Rome to crush Octavian, who had now become the popular favorite to be Caesar's heir.  As a result of the threat posed by Brutus and Cassius to both Antony and Octavian's designs, the two set aside their differences, and formed a secret alliance to defeat Brutus and Cassius.  They sought the financial backing of [[Marcus Lepidus]], and formed the [[Second Triumvirate]] to the ends of crushing Brutus and Cassius, and restoring order to Rome.  To prevent their secret alliance from becoming public knowledge, and to raise funds, the three triumvirs ordered many prominent citizens killed, and their property confiscated.  Marcus Tullius [[Cicero]] was one such target.  The Triumvirate also disbursed Caesar's will to the plebeians, as Caesar had requested, creating instant popular favor towards Octavian and Antony.

The forces of the Second Triumvirate easily defeated Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of [[Philippi]] in Greece.  Octavian is said to have not participated greatly in the battle, Antony and Agrippa doing his fighting for him instead.  This fostered a rumor at Rome that Caesar’s heir was no such thing, but instead a weak and effeminate philosopher.

The forces of the Second Triumvirate easily defeated Brutus and Cassius at the Battle of [[Philippi]] in Greece.  Octavian is said to have not participated greatly in the battle, Antony and Agrippa doing his fighting for him instead.  This fostered a rumor at Rome that Caesar's heir was no such thing, but instead a weak and effeminate philosopher.

==After Philippi==

==After Philippi==

After the reason for their alliance disappeared, Lepidus, Antony, and Octavian realized that conflict was inevitable.  To postpone it for some time, the three partitioned the Roman Empire into three parts – Rome and the West went to Octavian, the wealthy East to Antony, and Africa to Lepidus.  The three immediately began to consolidate their power bases for a conflict that they all knew would come.

After the reason for their alliance disappeared, Lepidus, Antony, and Octavian realized that conflict was inevitable.  To postpone it for some time, the three partitioned the Roman Empire into three parts – Rome and the West went to Octavian, the wealthy East to Antony, and Africa to Lepidus.  The three immediately began to consolidate their power bases for a conflict that they all knew would come.

During this time, Octavian used his station in Rome to boost his public image.  He portrayed himself elaborately as the “son of a God,” that is, the son of the Deified Caesar.  He commissioned elaborate gold statues and coins, carrying the blazon ‘’Oct. Caes. Div. Fili’’, or “Octavian Caesar, Son of the God.”  The provisions of Caesar’s will, and his association with the popular dead ruler, made Octavian an instant favorite with the people of Rome.  Thus he quickly consolidated his power.

During this time, Octavian used his station in Rome to boost his public image.  He portrayed himself elaborately as the “son of a God,” that is, the son of the Deified Caesar.  He commissioned elaborate gold statues and coins, carrying the blazon ‘’Oct. Caes. Div. Fili’’, or “Octavian Caesar, Son of the God.”  The provisions of Caesar's will, and his association with the popular dead ruler, made Octavian an instant favorite with the people of Rome.  Thus he quickly consolidated his power.

In the run-up to the actual conflict, Octavian continued to outmaneuver his other triumvirs.  He threatened Lepidus into giving up command of Africa, and retiring to serve as [[pontifex maximus]], a politically non-threatening religious post.  He portrayed Antony as “captured” by the decadent East, enslaved by love to [[Cleopatra]], and no longer even Roman due to his great love for Egypt.  He secured Antony’s secret will, which had recently been changed to request his burial in Egypt, as opposed to Rome, in the graves of his family.  The Roman people were shocked to find what they saw as one of their own turning his back on Rome herself.  Octavian played off of these feelings by accentuating his own “Roman-ness” by restoring old Roman traditions, such as the opening of the doors of the Temple of [[Janus]] in times of conflict, and the ceremonial casting of a spear into enemy territory by the ‘’fetiales’’, an order of Roman priests.  In a re-hash of this ritual, Octavian himself acted as a ‘’fetial’’ priest, casting a spear into a plot symbolizing [[Egypt]] and [[Mark Antony]] to inaugurate the final conflict between Octavian and Antony.

In the run-up to the actual conflict, Octavian continued to outmaneuver his other triumvirs.  He threatened Lepidus into giving up command of Africa, and retiring to serve as [[pontifex maximus]], a politically non-threatening religious post.  He portrayed Antony as “captured” by the decadent East, enslaved by love to [[Cleopatra]], and no longer even Roman due to his great love for Egypt.  He secured Antony's secret will, which had recently been changed to request his burial in Egypt, as opposed to Rome, in the graves of his family.  The Roman people were shocked to find what they saw as one of their own turning his back on Rome herself.  Octavian played off of these feelings by accentuating his own “Roman-ness” by restoring old Roman traditions, such as the opening of the doors of the Temple of [[Janus]] in times of conflict, and the ceremonial casting of a spear into enemy territory by the ‘’fetiales’’, an order of Roman priests.  In a re-hash of this ritual, Octavian himself acted as a ‘’fetial’’ priest, casting a spear into a plot symbolizing [[Egypt]] and [[Mark Antony]] to inaugurate the final conflict between Octavian and Antony.

Whatever doubts about Octavian’s martial prowess may have existed, they were immediately wiped away by his shocking victory over Antony at the Battle of [[Actium]].  Historians dispute whether the conflict was as large as alleged by Octavian – it most certainly was not – but Octavian’s successful portrayal of the battle as an earth-shattering event lent him [[credibility]].

Whatever doubts about Octavian’s martial prowess may have existed, they were immediately wiped away by his shocking victory over Antony at the Battle of [[Actium]].  Historians dispute whether the conflict was as large as alleged by Octavian – it most certainly was not – but Octavian’s successful portrayal of the battle as an earth-shattering event lent him [[credibility]].

He also resisted his own deification, which the Senate “pressed” on him during his life as well.  He did not want to be seen as a new, self-obsessed tyrant, and towards that end, he even melted all gold statues of himself, re-dedicating the gold to the god Apollo, with whom Augustus nonetheless fostered a subconscious association in his subjects.

He also resisted his own deification, which the Senate “pressed” on him during his life as well.  He did not want to be seen as a new, self-obsessed tyrant, and towards that end, he even melted all gold statues of himself, re-dedicating the gold to the god Apollo, with whom Augustus nonetheless fostered a subconscious association in his subjects.

Augustus also argued that Rome must return to normalcy after 100 years of civil war.  His friends Myceneas and Agrippa helped in this goal.  Myceneas, through a “Poet’s Circle,” encouraged and funded panegyrical poetry praising Augustus for restoring Roman virtue and honor.  [[Livy]] received on such grant to write the [[Aeneid]].  Simultaneously, Agrippa rebuilt much of Rome that had been burned or harmed in the civil wars, but rebuilt it in grander fashion.  The [[Pantheon]] was one such project, which now bears the inscription ‘’M. Agrippa, Cos. Ter., L. F., Fecit’’, or “Marcus Agrippa, Consul for the Third Time, Son of Lucius, Built This.”  Agrippa also rebuilt Rome’s sewer system (the [[Cloaca Maxima]]) to wide acclaim.

Augustus also argued that Rome must return to normalcy after 100 years of civil war.  His friends Myceneas and Agrippa helped in this goal.  Myceneas, through a “Poet’s Circle,” encouraged and funded panegyrical poetry praising Augustus for restoring Roman virtue and honor.  [[Livy]] received on such grant to write the [[Aeneid]].  Simultaneously, Agrippa rebuilt much of Rome that had been burned or harmed in the civil wars, but rebuilt it in grander fashion.  The [[Pantheon]] was one such project, which now bears the inscription ‘’M. Agrippa, Cos. Ter., L. F., Fecit’’, or “Marcus Agrippa, Consul for the Third Time, Son of Lucius, Built This.”  Agrippa also rebuilt Rome's sewer system (the [[Cloaca Maxima]]) to wide acclaim.

==Augustus’ Struggle for a Successor, and his Death==

==Augustus’ Struggle for a Successor, and his Death==