Rome: Augustus

Question 1

Quotes that show Augustus was not sincere in the constitutional settlements ?

Answer 1

1. Dio (53.11), several senators knew he was not serious when he resigned the republic back to the senate in 27BC
2. ‘this shows how sincere had been his desire to lay down the monarchy’ sarcasm (53.11.5)- after Augustus gives his Praetorian Guards a raise
3. Suetonius 31 when he became pontifex maximus he destroyed 2,000 prophets and edited the Sibylline books to fit his idea of traditional

Question 2

Quotes which show Augustus was sincere (or at least had the right) ?

Answer 2

1. Res Gestae “took no office which contravened ancestral customs”
2. Valleius Paterculus (89.5) repeatedly refused to become a dictator despite being offered it multiple times
3. Strabo 17.3, some areas were still ruled by the senate

Question 3

Evidence the Republic was not restored?

Answer 3

1. Dio 53.12 claims Augustus takes over super-provinces to leave the senate defenceless
2. Tacitus (annals, 1.3.5) tells us that Tiberius adopted his nephew Germanicus
3. Augustus named many successors, admitting it was now a monarchal procession

Question 4

Evidence the Republic was restored?

Answer 4

1. Res Gestae “excelled everyone in influence but had no more power than his colleagues”
2. VP 2.89.3 ‘force was restored to the laws, authority to the courts, majesty to the senate’
3. Strabo describes Boetia as being returned to the senate, while Iberia was becoming “toga-wearing”

Question 5

Evidence of positive *contemporary attitudes to Augustus (writers at the time, not historians writing about him afterwards)

Answer 5

1. Virgil’s Aeneiad refers to him as “‘he who shall bring back again/the age of gold to Latium”
2. Ovid’s Fasti praising his moral reforms

Question 6

How did Augustus keep power in terms of the senate and the constitutional reforms of 27 and 23BC

Answer 6

1. Changed his name to Augustus from Octavian to distance himself from his civil-war self, and initiated the dynastic line
2. 27BC pretended he was resigning and allegedly bribed senators to demand he be given more formal powers (Dio 53.4 he acknowledges “power to rule them for life”
3. Augustus’s first action is to push for an increase of pay and numbers of Praetorian Guard to protect him

Question 7

Evidence Augustus had a good relationship with the provincials

Answer 7

1. introduction of a specific position for communication between governors and Rome as well as way stations along roads, Lugdunum aureus coin shows minting moved there 15-12BC
2. Settled his veterans in distant parts of the empire to civilise it with his own wealth (good for order) “gave to the colonists who had been my soldiers 1000 sesterces each” Res Gestae 16
3. “Legal proceedings should be held before the Prefects of Egypt, even though they were only members of the Equestrian order” Tacitus Annals

Question 8

Evidence Augustus had a poor relationship with the provincials

Answer 8

1. Prefect governor had the status of a king
2. Turmoil in Judae following death of Herod and a jewish revolt, 2,000 crucified (Tacitus Annals)
3. Varian disaster 9AD, 17th, 18th and 19th legions destroyed- “kept the anniversary as a day of mourning” Suetonius

Question 9

Administrative works of Augustus:

Answer 9

1. Res Gestae 24 “80 statues made of silver and placed golden gifts in the temple of Apollo”
2. Restored temples and roads
3. Returned many popular festivals and games- secular games 17BC

Question 10

Tacitus Annals, Augustus 32

Answer 10

“He seduced the army with bonuses, and his cheap food policy was successful bait for civilians”

“Indeed, he attracted everybody’s goodwill by the enjoyable gift of peace”

“Opposition did not exist”