Gaius Octavius
Augustus was born Gaius Octavius in Rome on September 23, 63 BC. He was a member of the respectable, but undistinguished, Octavii family through his father, also named Gaius Octavius, and was the great-nephew of Julius Caesar through his mother Atia Balba Caesonia. The young Octavius had two older siblings: a half sister, Octavia Major, from his father's first marriage, and a full sister, Octavia Minor. The Octavii were wealthy through their banking business in Velletri (in the Alban Hills), where the family was part of the local aristocracy. However, the family entered into the senatorial ranks with the elder Octavius as its novus homo. The elder Octavius' entrance into the Senate came when he was appointed Quaestor in 69 BC. Shortly after the younger Octavius was born, his father gained a victory at Thurii over a rebellious band of slaves, and thus the son was bestowed the cognomen "Thurinus".