Octavius, later known as Augustus, was Rome's first emperor who rose to power after the assassination of Julius Caesar. He formed the Second Triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus to defeat Caesar's assassins. After defeating Antony in battle, Octavius consolidated control over Rome and established the Principate, where he ruled as the first emperor but allowed the senate to retain some powers. His reign from 27 BC to 14 AD marked the beginning of the Pax Romana period of peace and territorial expansion for Rome.

1. Augustus
The first Roman emperor
By Alex andArmin

2. Early Life and Rise to Power
▪ Born in 63BC as "Octavius".
▪ His father dies when he is 4. His mother Atia is the niece of Julius Caesar.
Octavius is also raised by Caesar's sister.
▪ In 46BC he joins Caesar in his military campaign in Spain by crossing hostile
land.This impresses Caesar.
▪ Caesar has no Roman children, so he adopts Octavius as his heir.
▪ Caesar is killed in 44BC during the Ides of March by conspirators, as they fear he
will overthrow the senate.
▪ Octavius's rival for power is Caesar's 2nd in command, Mark Antony.

3. The Ides of March

4. Rise to Power
▪ Octavius takes over some of Caesar's legions. He is named Consul in 43BC.
▪ Together with Antony and Lepidus, Octavius forms the SecondTriumvirate.
▪ Octavius and Antony win the Battle of Philippi 42BC in Greece against
Brutus und Cassius, who had killed Caesar.
▪ They divide up the territory. Octavius stays in Rome, Antony goes to Egypt
and allies with Cleopatra.
▪ In 37BC Octavius marries Livia.
▪ In 36BC Octavius and Lepidus defeat Pompei's son Pompeius in Sicily, and
Lepidus hands over his land to Octavius.

5. Battle of Philippi

6. The War with Antony
▪ Octavius spreads rumor in Rome that Antony is betraying the Romans by
giving conquered land to his sons and install them as kings.This is
confirmed when Antony's secret will is seized and opened.
▪ In 31BC Octavius sends a fleet commanded by Agrippa to Actium, which
defeat's Antony's fleet.
▪ In 30BC Octavius' forces beat Antony in Alexandria in Egypt. Antony and
Cleopatra commit suicide.

7. Battle of Actium

8. Change to Augustus and Power Stabilization
▪ Octavius stepwise consolidates power to rule Rome under an unofficial
principate.The Romans are tired of civil war.
▪ The soldiers are loyal to him and he has all the money. But he puts on a
show pretending to hand control back to the senate.
▪ The senate returns the most important provinces and legions back to
Octavius.
▪ In 27BC the senate names Octavius "Augustus and Princeps" (augere = "to
increase", or "the illustrious one"). Caesar is declared divine, so Augustus
also calls himself "Son of the Divine".
▪ The senate accepts the Principate officially in 23BC, after Augustus is sick
and they fear what would happen after his death.

9. Pax Romana
▪ The period from 27 BC to 180AD is also called "Pax Romana", as it is a very
peaceful time without civil war.
▪ Augustus' armies conquer land in today's Spain, Bavaria, Austria, Hungary
and the Balcan.
▪ Augustus also negotiates the return of the land lost by Crassus to the
Parthians in the east.
▪ In 9 AD the Romans lose against Germans led by Arminius in theTeutoburg
Forrest ("Varus, give me back my legions!").

10. Arminius (Armin)

11. Death and Succession
▪ Augustus let's Agrippa marry his daughter, hoping for one of their sons to
become his heirs. But their sons die.
▪ His wife Livia has children from her first marriage (Augustus' step-children).
One of them isTiberius.
▪ Augustus dies in 14 AD, andTiberius succeeds him.Tiberius becomes
emperor.
▪ Augustus last words are "Behold, I found Rome of clay, and leave her in
marble".

12. Augustus - The End
Thank you for
not falling
asleep!