Student's Last Name 1
Emperor Augustus
When examining men in ancient Western civilization, it would be hard to disregard the profound impact that Augustus Caesar left. Often regarded as the father of the Roman Empire, Augustus was responsible for transforming the unruly republic into one of the most well-known empires in the world. (Everitt)
The man who would come to be known as Augustus and one of Rome's greatest and first emperors was born as Gaius Octavius on 23 September, 63 BC. He was raised in the small town of Velitrae, about twenty-five miles southeast of Rome. (Southern, 1) Octavius was born to a wealthy equestrian, or knight family which was considered to fall in the middle class. However, his family was far above the equestrian minimum in property ownership. Octavius was not close with his biological father, as he died when he was only four years old. His mother Atia, was the niece of Gaius Julius Caesar, a rich and powerful Roman politician and general.
English: A statue of the first Roman Emperor Augus...
The Death of Caesar
Augustus of Prima Porta, statue of the emperor Aug...Octavius didn't meet his great uncle until he was a teenager and took a great liking for the boy, arranging for him to receive various decorations and become an honorary member of the Julian clan. (Everitt, 35)
On March 15th 44 BC, Julius Caesar was assassinated. Upon hearing the news, Octavius was grief-stricken. He further learned that Caesar had written a will leaving him with three-quarters of his wealth, and had posthumously adopted him as his son. His mother and stepfather warned him not to accept his new dangerous inheritance as the son of Caesar; however, Octavius rejected their position and accepted the legacy, stating that he would succeed to his power and avenge his father's murder. (Everitt, 57) He then changed his name to Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. He didn't use the...