First emperor of Rome First emperor of Rome The Roman Empire The question about who was the first emperor has never found a definitive answer. Under a purely technical point of view there is no clear first emperor, as the title itself was not an official post in the Roman constitutional system - rather, it was an amalgam of separate roles. Julius Caesar was a Dictator Perpetuus ("life-long dictator"), which was a highly irregular form of dictator, an official position in the Roman republic. According to law, the rule of a dictator would normally never exceed 6 months. The form created by Caesar was therefore quite contrary to the basic principles of the Roman Republic. Nevertheless, officially his authority rested upon this republican title, however irregular it might have been, and therefore he is considered a republican official. At the very least he pretended to be one. Several senators, among them many former enemies who had been "graciously" pardoned by him, grew fearful that he would crown himself and try to establish a monarchy. Accordingly, they conspired to assassinate him, and on the Ides of March, on the 15 March 44 BC, the life-long dictator perished under the blades of his assassins before he could be crowned.

Octavian, his grand-nephew, adopted son and political heir, is widely accepted as the first emperor. He had learned from the mistake of his predecessor and never claimed the widely feared title dictator, disguising his power under republican forms much more carefully. All this was intended to foster the illusion of a restoration of the Republic. He received several titles like Augustus - the honorable one, and Princeps - translatedas first citizen of the Roman republic or as first leader of the Roman Senate. The latter had been a title awarded for those who had served the state well; Pompey had held that title. In addition, Augustus (as he is named thereafter) was granted the right to wear the Civic Crown of laurel and oak. However, it must be noted that officially, none of these titles or the Civic Crown, granted Augustus any additional powers or authority; officially he was simply a highly-honoured Roman citizen, holding the consulship. Augustus also became Pontifex Maximus after the death of Marcus Aemilius Lepidus in 13 BC. He also received several additional and extraordinary powers without claiming too many titles. In the end he only needed the authority itself, not necessarily all the respective titles.

The life and times of Caesar and his proclamation of being dictator was recently dramatised in the HBO hit series Rome. HW 10 - 1. Which man is considered to be the first Roman emperor? A) Marius HW 10 HW 10 - 1. Which man is considered to be the first Roman... SCHOOL View Full Document 1. Which man is considered to be the first Roman emperor? A) Marius B) Julius Caesar C) Octavian D) Nero E) Sulla Points Earned: 0.0/1.0 Correct Answer(s): C 2. Who was the last of the Five Good Emperors? A) Hadrian B) Vespacian C) Nero D) Marcus Aurelius E) Octavian Points Earned: 1.0/1.0 Correct Answer(s): D 3. Bacchus was the god of A) war. B) the army. C) the sea. D) love. E) wine. This preview has intentionally blurred sections. Sign up to view the full version. View Full Document Points Earned: 1.0/1.0 Correct Answer(s): E 4.

Which of the following accurately describes Spartacus? A) He was a Spartan who led the Greeks in a slave rebellion before finally being crucified. B) He was a slave owner who freed his entire plantation after converting to Christianity. C) He was a gladiator who tried to start a slave rebellion but was quickly defeated. D) He was a Christian who opposed slavery but encouraged civil disobedience. E) He was a gladiator who led a slave rebellion crushing many Roman legions before he was killed. Points Earned: 1.0/1.0 Correct Answer(s): E 5. Cleopatra was romantically involved with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. A) True. B) False. Points Earned: 1.0/1.0 Correct Answer(s): A 6. Which of the following does NOT accurately portray the Roman Republic's army? A) They were often amused and intrigued when they lost a battle. B) Courage was richly rewarded and cowardice resulted in death. C) Harsh discipline and constant training were the norm. D) They were humble even in victory, as arrogance was seen as detrimental. E) They lost some battles, but they never lost the war.

Points Earned: 1.0/1.0 Correct Answer(s): D 7. Why did many Romans hold generals in higher esteem than Senators? A) The generals promised land. B) The army was so well-trained and disciplined. C) The Senate proved to be weak and ineffective. D) The generals possessed greater wealth. E) Generals were really running the empire. Points Earned: 0.0/1.0 Correct Answer(s): A 8. Candidates for public office in Rome were required to A) memorize the entire Roman legal code. B) serve as a centurion for at least one battle. C) serve in the army for at least ten years. D) convert to Christianity and become baptized. E) all of the above Points Earned: 0.0/1.0 This preview has intentionally blurred sections. Sign up to view the full version.

Augustus Caesar | First Roman Emperor “I drove the men who slaughtered my father [ Julius Caesar ] into exile with a legal order, punishing their crime, and afterwards, when they waged war on the state, I conquered them in two battles.” - FROM DEEDS OF THE DIVINE AUGUSTUS Augustus First Roman Emperor, 63 B.C. - 14 C.E. Augustus Caesar of Rome was born with the given name Gaius Octavius on September 23, 63 B.C. He took the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (Octavian) in 44 B.C. after the murder of his great uncle, Julius Caesar . In his will Caesar had adopted Octavian and made him his heir. Octavian was a shrewd, brilliant and astute politician. Through cold, hard political calculation he was able to achieve ultimate power in Rome. At the time of Caesar’s assassination, Octavian held no official position. Only after he marched on Rome and forced the senate to name him consul, was he established as a power to be reckoned with.

In 43 B.C., Octavian, Marcus Antonius ( Marc Antony one of Julius Caesar’s top lieutenants) and another Roman General, Marcus Lepidus , formed the second Triumvirate to rule Rome. After taking power, the Triumvirate proscribed and slaughtered thousands of political enemies, firmly establishing their control of the Roman government. In 40 B.C., Antony married Octavia, Octavian’s sister, and later deserted her for Cleopatra , Queen of Egypt. When Antony gave Roman provinces to his children by Cleopatra, Octavian declared war on Antony. In 31 B.C. the Roman Navy under Agrippa defeated the combined fleets of Antony and Cleopatra, and within a year both had committed suicide. In 27 B.C., the Roman Senate granted Octavian the name Augustus, meaning “the exalted.” They also gave him the legal power to rule Rome’s religious, civil and military affairs, with the Senate as an advisory body, effectively making him Emperor. Rome achieved great glory under Octavian/Augustus.

He restored peace after 100 years of civil war; maintained an honest government and a sound currency system; extended the highway system connecting Rome with its far-flung empire; developed an efficient postal service; fostered free trade among the provinces; and built many bridges, aqueducts and buildings adorned with beautiful works of art created in the classical style. Literature flourished with writers including Virgil , Horace , Ovid , and Livy all living under the emperor’s patronage. The empire expanded under Augustus with his generals subduing Spain, Gaul (now France), Panonia and Dalmatia (now parts of Hungary and Croatia). He annexed Egypt and most of southwestern Europe up to the Danube River. After his death, the people the Roman Empire worshipped Augustus as a god. If you are aware of books, movies, databases, web sites or other information sources about Augustus or related subjects, or if you would like to comment, please contact us . Resource Menu Rome: The Roman Empire The Roman Empire Augustus and the Pax Romana Caesar's assassination brought anarchy, out of which the Second Triumvirate emerged with the rule of Octavian (later Augustus ), Antony , and Lepidus .

Octavian was Caesar's nephew, ward, and heir, and his true successor. At Actium (31 B.C.) he defeated Antony and Cleopatra and made the empire one. No change was made in the government, but Octavian received from the senate the title Augustus and from the people life tribuneship; this, with the governorship of all the provinces conferred by the senate, made him the real ruler. He was called imperator [commander] and princeps [leader] and is usually considered the first Roman emperor. (For a list of the Roman Emperors from Augustus to the fall of Rome and the years they reigned, see the table entitled Rulers of the Roman Empire .) Augustus organized provincial government and the army, rebuilt Rome, and patronized the arts and letters. His rule began a long period (200 years) of peace, called the Pax Romana.

During this time the Roman Empire was the largest it would ever be; its boundaries included Armenia, middle Mesopotamia, the Arabian desert, the Red Sea, Nubia, the Sahara, the Moroccan mountain mass, the Atlantic Ocean, the Irish Sea, Scotland, the North Sea, the Rhine, the Danube, the Black Sea, and the Caucasus. Augustus' chief additions to the empire were a strip along the North Sea W of the Elbe and part of the Danubian area. The blessings of peace were great for the empire. The extensive system of Roman roads made transportation easier than it was again to be until the development of railroads. A postal service was developed closely tied in with the organization of the army. Commerce and industry were greatly developed, particularly by sea, over which grain ships carried food for Rome and the West from the ports of northern Africa. The Roman Empire became under Augustus one great nation. The enlarged view of the world made a great impression on Rome, where literary and artistic interests were of importance, although nearly always tending to imitation of Greece and of the East. Augustus died A.D.

14 and was succeeded by his stepson Tiberius ; his general Germanicus Caesar fought fruitlessly in Germany. Caligula , who followed, was a cruel tyrant (A.D. 37–A.D. 41); he was succeeded by Claudius I (A.D. 41–A.D. 54), who was dominated by his wives, but during his rule half of Britain was conquered (A.D. 43). In his time Thrace, Lydia, and Judaea were made Roman provinces. His stepson Nero (A.D. 54–A.D. 68) was an unparalleled tyrant. In his reign occurred the great fire of Rome (A.D. 64), attributed (probably falsely) to Nero; it burnt everything between the Caelian, the Palatine, and the Esquiline, but it was a boon to the city, for Nero moved the population to the right bank of the Tiber, then very thinly populated, and rebuilt the region with broader streets and great buildings. At that time an entirely new element, Christianity, made itself felt in Rome. On Nero's orders a barbarous persecution took place in which many Christians died, among them St. Peter and St. Paul.

Throughout the Roman Empire the Christians expanded steadily for the next centuries. Their conflict with the empire, which brought on them continual persecution, was chiefly a result of the Christian refusal to offer divine honors to the emperors. But Christianity penetrated the army and the royal household in spite of the constant danger of detection and persecution. There were many periods in the first three centuries when Christians worshiped openly, even in Rome, where the catacombs housed not only graves but also churches. With Nero the Julio-Claudian line ended. There was a brief struggle (see Galba ; Otho ; Vitellius ) before Vespasian (A.D. 69–A.D. 79) became emperor. Under him his son Titus destroyed Jerusalem (A.D. 70); Titus then briefly succeeded his father. After his mild, rather benign rule, his brother Domitian (A.D. 81–A.D. 96), a despot and persecutor of Christians, gained the empire. In Domitian's reign Agricola conquered Britain almost entirely. Domitian was unsuccessful in his dealings with the Daci and finally bought them off. After Nerva came Trajan (A.D. 98–A.D.

117), one of the greatest of emperors. Trajan undertook great public works, defeated the Daci and established Roman colonies there (in what is now modern Romania), and pushed the eastern borders past Armenia and Mesopotamia. Trajan's successor, Hadrian , withdrew Roman rule to the Euphrates and in Britain built his wall ( Hadrian's Wall ) to hold back the barbarians who constantly threatened that fast-developing province. He also reorganized the senate and the army. Roman armies were then seldom seen far from the boundaries of the empire, and life continued throughout the Roman world in peace and quiet. Italy was sinking into a purely provincial state, although many emperors made attempts to make it a special country. The successors of Hadrian were Antoninus Pius (138–161) and Marcus Aurelius (161–180), who ruled in what is commonly called the Golden Age of the empire. The Empire Declines With Commodus (180–192) the decline of the empire is usually said to have begun.

The age of the Praetorians was then at hand, when the rise and fall of emperors was determined by this elite corps of soldiers. Septimius Severus (193–211) was unusually able for his period; he campaigned with success against the Parthians and against the Picts of N Britain. His son Caracalla is noteworthy for extending Roman citizenship to all free men of the empire and for the famous baths named after him. Emperors succeeded one another rapidly in the 3d cent.: Heliogabalus , Alexander Severus , Philip (Philip the Arabian), and Decius among them. Decius was one of the most violent persecutors of Christians; he fell fighting the Goths, first of the Germans , who were eventually to overwhelm the empire. In 260 the emperor Valerian was captured by the Persians, and the empire fell into anarchy. The provinces suffered from increasingly bad government as well as from a pestilence that carried off half the population. Claudius II (268–70) revived Roman fortunes somewhat, while Aurelian (270–75) overthrew the Palmyrene kingdom of Zenobia .

In 284, Diocletian was made emperor by the army. He was a reformer of government and of the social order, but only one of his efforts was successful. This was the division of the empire into four political sections, two eastern and two western. There were to be two Augusti and two Caesars. The division of East and West was resumed after the death (337) of Constantine I , who moved the capital to Byzantium, renamed Constantinople. By the Edict of Milan (313), Constantine granted universal religious tolerance, thus placing Christianity on the same footing as the other religions. He divided the empire administratively into prefectures, dioceses, and provinces; the bishops thus gained great influence and shared in the authority of the civil administration. There was a brief resurgence of paganism under Julian the Apostate , but Christianity was securely established. On the death of Jovian, Julian's successor, Valentinian I (364–75) ruled the Western Empire; Valentinian II (375–92) succeeded him.

After the death (395) of Theodosius I the empire was permanently divided into Eastern (see Byzantine Empire ) and Western, and Rome rapidly lost its political importance. Under the emperors, Rome had been the center of the world. It must have presented a splendid, although heterogeneous, appearance. Little remained of the original city, for the emperors had replanned it to glorify themselves as well as the city. Parts of the Aurelian Wall still stand. On the Capitoline were the citadel (the arx) and the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus; the Palatine was the site of the palaces of Augustus and Tiberius (the word palace derives from the hill); the palace of Nero and Trajan's baths were on the southern slopes of the Esquiline. South of the Palatine was the Circus Maximus, where the famous chariot races were held. The old Roman Forum (see forum ), extending from the Palatine almost to the Colosseum , remained the center of the city; northwest of it were the Emperors' Fora, with many fine public buildings, and the Temple of Peace.

On the Martian Field were Pompey's theater, the Circus Flaminius, the Pantheon (see under pantheon ), and the baths of Agrippa and Nero. Across the Tiber was Nero's circus, where St. Peter's now stands; Hadrian's tomb, now known as the Castel Sant' Angelo , has survived as a major landmark. The largest of the many public baths were those of Caracalla, near the Appian Way. At its height, imperial Rome counted well over a million inhabitants. It was well policed, sanitation was excellent, and a fire-fighting force of seven brigades was maintained. Nineteen imposing aqueducts, of which many remains are extant, supplied the city with water. Among the rich such luxuries as central heating and running water were not unknown. The indigent (c.200,000) were cared for at public expense. Not until the 18th cent. were luxury and technical proficiency on a comparable scale to return to any European city. Decline, once it began, came quickly, however.

Honorius (395–423) made Ravenna the capital of the West; other emperors chose Milan and Trier (Treves), where they were nearer the border to check Germanic attacks. The West sank into anarchy, and Italy was ravaged by invaders. Alaric I took Rome in 410, and Gaiseric conquered it in 455. Attila was kept from sacking it, supposedly through the efforts of the pope, Leo I (St. Leo the Great). In this general disintegration the popes, originally the bishops of Rome, greatly increased their power and prestige, thus restoring to Rome in the religious field the importance it had lost in the political. In 476 the last emperor of the West, appropriately called Romulus Augustulus, was deposed by the Goths under Odoacer ; this date is commonly accepted as the end of the West Roman Empire, or Western Empire. The so-called Dark Ages (now usually called the Early Middle Ages; see Middle Ages ) that followed in Western Europe could not eradicate the profound imprint left by the Roman civilization. Roman law is still alive; the Romance languages are but modifications of Roman speech.

Roman Catholicism for nearly 12 centuries was the only religion and the main cultural force of Western Europe. The fall of Rome marked no abrupt ending of an era, for the barbarians that filled the gap left by the disappearance of the old order were quick in accepting and adapting what vital elements remained of it. The survival of the East Roman Empire, or Eastern Empire, and the creation of the Holy Roman Empire showed how much vitality was left in the imperial ideal. Italy itself, however, did not recover from the fall of Rome until the 19th cent. Sections in this article: Roman Emperors - DIR Romulus Augustulus Romulus Augustulus (475-476 A.D.)--Two Views Ralph W. Mathisen University of South Carolina BACKGROUND AND ACCESSION By the year 475, the western Roman empire was on its last legs. Its geographical holdings had shrunk to Italy and a toehold in southern Gaul.

The reigning western emperor, Julius Nepos (474-475) had been appointed by the eastern emperors Leo (457-474) and Zeno (474-491), but had little tangible support either in the east or the west. In 475, Nepos replaced the Patrician and Master of Soldiers in the west, the Gaul Ecdicius, with Orestes, whose primary claim to fame had been service as the notarius (secretary) of Attila the Hun. Orestes responded by marching on Ravenna. The sixth-century Gothic historian Jordanes tells the tale: "This Orestes, having taken charge of the army and having departed from Rome against the enemies, arrived at Ravenna, and remaining there he made his son Augustulus emperor. When he learned this, Nepos fled to Dalmatia" ("qui Orestes suscepto exercitu et contra hostes egrediens a Roma Ravenna pervenit ibique remoratus Augustulum filimum suum imperatorem efficit. quo conperto Nepus fugit Dalmatias...": Jordanes, Getica 241).

The Anonymous Valesianus indicates that Nepos arrived at Ravenna with Orestes in hot pursuit: "Soon Nepos arrived at Ravenna, pursued by the Patrician Orestes and his army. Fearing the arrival of Orestes, Nepos boarded a ship and fled to Salona" ("mox veniens Ravennam, quem persequens Orestes patricius cum exercitu, metuens Nepos adventum Orestis, ascendens navem fugam petit ad Salonam": 7.36 s.a.474). The Auctuarii Hauniensis ordo prior provides some additional insights: "While Nepos was in the city, the Patrician Orestes was sent against him with the main force of the army. But because Nepos dared not undertake the business of resisting in such desperate conditions, he fled to Dalmatia in his ships. When Nepos had fled Italy and departed from the city, Orestes assumed the primacy and all the authority for himself and made his son Augustulus emperor at Ravenna" ("Nepote apud urbem residente Orestes patricius cum robore exercitus contra eum mittitur.

sed cum desperatae rei negotium resistendo sumere non auderet, ad Dalmatias navigiis fugit. cum Nepos fugiens Italiam ac urbem reliquisset, Orestes primatum omnemque sibi vindicans dignitatem Augustulum filium suum apud Ravennam positum imperatorem facit, ipse vero omnem curam externorum praesidiorum gerit": s.a.475; cf. Auctarii Hauniensis ordo posterior: "Nepos cum ab Oreste patricio cum exercitu persequeretur, fugiens ad Dalmatias usque navigavit": s.a.475). Other, briefer, sources provide a little clarification. The Fasti vindobonenses priores, for example, confirm that Nepos took flight from Ravenna after the arrival of Orestes: "In this year, on 28 August, the Patrician Orestes entered Ravenna with his army and the emperor Nepos fled to Dalmatia" ("his cons. introivit Ravennam patricius Orestes cum exercitu et fugavit imp.

Nepos ad Dalmatias V kl. Septemb.": no.615. s.a.475). Jordanes says simply, "In the western empire, Orestes put the emperor Nepos to flight and established his own son Augustulus on the throne" ("parte vero Hesperia Nepotem imperatorem Orestes fugatum Augustulum suum filium in imperium conlocavit": Jordanes, Romana 344); and Count Marcellinus likewise recalled, "As soon as Nepos had been put to flight Orestes set his son Augustulus on the throne" ("Nepote Orestes protinus effugato Augustulum filium suum in imperium conlocavit": Chron. s.a.475). Orestes then seems to have temporized for over two months, perhaps waiting for some response from the east. Finally, on 31 October 475, Orestes named his young son Romulus, perhaps fourteen years of age, as western Roman emperor.

Given that Nepos , who had been nominated by the eastern emperor Leo (457-474), still reigned, albeit in exile, there was no question of Romulus ever receiving recognition from the east. The report by the chronicler Victor of Tonnena that Orestes' son was named Herculanus, and made an abortive attempt to seize power after the death of Anthemius , seems to be an erroneous reference to Romulus. REIGN The youngster took the title "Augustus" as his name, but became commonly known as Augustulus, "the little Augustus": in the words of the Anonymous Valesianus, "Augustulus, who prior to ruling had been called Romulus by his parents, was made emperor by his father, the Patrician Orestes." Orestes, of course, intended to keep the real power in his own hands, as noted by an anonymous Italian chronicler: "Orestes, appropriating the primacy and every power to himself, made his son Augustulus emperor at Ravenna; he himself undertook all the supervision of external affairs." The most serious problem that the new administration faced was how to manage the diverse barbarian troops putatively under his command.

One means of doing so was to pay them. Gold solidi of Romulus were issued at Rome, Milan, and probably Ravenna. And one problem that the die-cutters had was in trying to fit the entire name "Romulus Augustus" onto a single coin. A token number of solidi also was issued at Arles, attesting to the last tenuous hold that the empire had in Gaul. A few silver coins were issued at Ravenna, but no bronze coins of Romulus are known. Problems with the soldiers escalated in 476, when troops including Heruls, Scirians, and Torcilingi made demands for land grants that were refused by Orestes. The soldiers then turned to Odovacar, a barbarian chieftain from a Hunnish and Scirian background. He promised to grant their requests if they made him king. They did so on 23 August, and then advanced against Orestes. DEPOSITION On 28 August 476, Orestes was captured and killed by Odovacar near Piacenza -- the site of the defeat of the emperor Avitus in 456.

Odovacar then occupied Ravenna, where on either 31 August or 4 September he killed Orestes' brother Paulus. As for young Romulus, the Anonymous Valesianus (8.38) reports, "Entering Ravenna, Odovacar deposed Augustulus from the rule, and taking pity on his youth he granted him his life, and because he was comely he even granted to him an income of six thousand solidi and sent him to Campania to live freely with his relatives." The chronicler Count Marcellinus painted a rather less rosy picture of Romulus' fate: "Odovacar, king of the Goths, occupied Rome. Odovacar immediately killed Orestes. Odovacar condemned Augustulus, the son of Orestes, to exile in the castle of Lucullus in Campania" ("Odoacar rex Gothorum Romam obtinuit. Orestem Odoacer ilico trucidavit. Augustulum filium Orestis Odoacer in Lucullano Campaniae castello exilii poena damnavit": s.a.476).

And Jordanes similarly related, "After Augustulus had been established as emperor at Ravenna by his father Orestes, not long afterward Odovacer, king of the Torcilingi, who had with him the Scirians, Heruls, and auxiliaries from diverse peoples, occupied Italy and, after killing Orestes, deposed his son Augustulus from the rule and condemned him to exile in the Lucullan castle in Campania" ("Augustulo vero a patre Oreste in Ravenna imperatore ordinato non multum post Odoacer Torcilingorum rex habens secum Sciros, Herulos diversarumque gentium auxiliarios Italiam occupavit et Orestem interfectum Augustulum filium eius de regno pulsum in Lucullano Campaniae castello exilii poena damnavit": Getica 242). This castellum has sometimes been identified as the estate of the late-Roman Republican general Lucullus.

The Byzantine historian Malchus, moreover, suggests that Romulus was required to perform one final official act before going into retirement: the dispatching of a "letter of resignation" to the eastern emperor Zeno returning the imperial regalia and saying that the empire now needed but a single emperor, in Constantinople. "When Augustus, the son of Orestes, heard that Zeno, having expelled Basiliscus, had again gained the kingship of the east, he caused the Senate to send an embassy to tell Zeno that they had no need of a separate empire but that a single common emperor would be sufficient for both territories, and, moreover, that Odovacar had been chosen by them as a suitable man to safeguard their affairs, since he had political understanding along with military skill; they asked Zeno to award Odovacar the patrician honor and grant him the government of the Italies. The men from the Senate in Rome reached Byzantium carrying these messages.

On the same day messengers from Nepos also came to congratulate Zeno on the recent events concerning this restoration, and at the same time to ask him zealously to help Nepos, a man who had suffered equal misfortunes, in the recovery of his empire. They asked that he grant money and an army for this purpose and that he co-operate in his restoration in any other ways that might be necessary. Nepos had sent the men to say these things. Zeno gave the following answer to those arrivals and to the men from the Senate: the western Romans had received two men from the eastern Empire and had driven one out, Nepos, and killed the other, Anthemius. Now, he said, they knew what ought to be done. While their emperor was still alive, they should hold no other thought than to receive him back on his return. To the barbarians he replied that it would be well if Odovacar were to receive the patrician rank from the emperor Nepos and that he himself would grant it unless Nepos granted it first.

He commended him in that he had displayed this initial instance of guarding good order, suitable to the Romans, and trusted for this reason that, if he truly wished to act with justice, he would quickly receive back the emperor [sc. Nepos] who had given him his positon of honor. He sent a royal epistle about what he desired to Odovacar and in this letter named him a patrician. Zeno gave this help to Nepos, pitying his sufferings because of his own, and holding to the principle that the common lot of fortune is to grieve with the unfortunate. At the same time Verina also joined in urging this, giving a helping hand to the wife of Nepos, her relative" (fr. 10: Gordon trans., pp.127-128) Nepos , of course, never was able to reoccupy Italy, which remained in the hands of Odovacar. Cassiodorus stated, "In this year, Orestes and his brother Paulus were killed by Odovacar, and Odovacar assumed the title of King, although he made use of neither the purple nor the imperial regalia" ("His conss.

ab Odovacre Orestes et frater eius Paulus extincti sunt nomenque regis Odovacar adsumpsit, cum tamen nec purpura nec regalibus uteretur insignibus": no.1303). Romulus had lost his throne after just over ten months of rule -- his deposition would have occurred on or soon after 4 September 476. One cannot explain the curious report in the Anonymus Valesianus that Augustulus ruled not one but ten years: "Augustulus imperavit annos X" (7.36). His fate after his settlement in Campania is unknown, although it has been suggested that he might be the Romulus to whom the Ostrogothic king Theodoric wrote ca. 507/511 concerning a bequest made to a certain Romulus and his mother.

EPILOGUE After Romulus' fall, the last scanty imperial possessions in southern Gaul were occupied by the Visigoths: under the year 477, the Gallic Chronicle of 511 reported, "Arles was captured by Euric, along with Marseilles and the other fortified places" ("Arelate capta est ab Eurico cum Massilia et ceteris castellis": no.657). Curiously, however, the Danubian provinces of Raetia and Noricum seem still to have retained a loose connection to Italy (the Life of St. Severinus of Noricum reports that border militia in Noricum continuing to have expectations of being paid from Italy), not, hoever, because of any Italian authority, but merely because of administrative inertia, and the lack of any barbarian people sufficiently powerful, or interested, to occupy this region. Romulus commonly has been considered to be the last emperor of the western empire; with names like "Romulus" and "Augustus", it would have been difficult indeed to resist doing so.

This tradition began as early as the early sixth century, when Count Marcellinus lamented, "The western Empire of the Roman people, which first began in the seven hundred and ninth year after the founding of the City with Octavian Augustus, the first of the emperors, perished with this Augustulus, in the five-hundred and twenty-second year of the reign of Augustus' successor emperors. From this point on Gothic kings held power in Rome" ("Hesperium Romanae gentis imperium, quod septingentesimo nono urbis conditae anno primus Augustorum Octavianus Augustus tenere coepit, cum hoc Augustulo periit, anno decessorum regni imperatorum quingentesimo vigesimo secundo, Gothorum dehinc regibus Roman tenentibus": s.a.476).

Both the "seven hundred and ninth year after the founding of the City," counting from 753 BC, and, counting backward from 476 AD, "five-hundred and twenty-second year of the reign of Augustus' successors", work out to 45 BC, the date that Marcellinus seems to have assumed the Roman Empire began. Perhaps Caesar's victory at Munda or his assumption of the perpetual dictatorship was meant. or, if not this, then perhaps the inception of the Second Triumvirate in 43 BC, or the death of Julius Caesar in 44 BC. Romulus was indeed the last, and perhaps even the least significant, of the "shadow" or "puppet" emperors of the west. But otherwise he was a mere usurper, and an undistinguished one at that. The legitimate western emperor Nepos not only continued to rule, albeit in Dalmatia, but even had coins issued in his name in Odovacar's Italy.

Until his death in 480, Nepos continued to have hopes of recovering his throne, and more rightly deserves the title "last western Roman emperor." The sixth-century Byzantine historian Procopius pronounced an apt epitaph on Augustulus and the other shadow emperors when he noted, confusing Nepos with Olybrius , "And another emperor, Nepos, upon taking over the empire and living to enjoy it only a few days, died of disease, and Glycerius after him entered into this office and suffered a similar fate. And after him Augustus assumed the imperial power. There were, moreover, still other emperors in the west before this time, bht although I know their names well, I shall make no mention of them whatsoever. For it so fell out that they lived only a short time after attaining the office, and as a result of this accomplished nothing worthy of mention..." (Bellum Vandalicum 7.15-17: Dewing trans., p.69) Bibliography: Cantarelli, L., Annali d'Italia.

Dalla morte di Valentiniano III alla deposizione di Romolo Augustolo (anni 455-476) (Rome, 1896) ________., "L'ultimo rifugio di Romolo Augustolo," Historia 2 (1928) pp.185-190. Croke, Brian, "A.D. 476: The Manufacture of a Turning Point," Chiron 13 (1983) 81-119 Dewing, H.B., trans., Procopius, History of the Wars, vol.2 (Cambridge, Mass., 1916). Gusso, Massimo, "Incerteze onomastiche e scanbi di persona a carico degli ultimi sovrani occidentali: Il caso del misterioso imperatore Herculanus in Vittore di Tunnuna," Studia et Documenta Historia et Iuris 59 (1003) pp.337-346.

Hodgkin, Thomas, Italy and Her Invaders, vol.2 (London, 1880) pp.508-514. Hossner, Karl, Die letzten kaiser des römischen abendlandes: Anthemius, Olybrius, Glycerius, Julius Nepos und Romulus Augustulus (Bielitz, 1900) Martindale, John R., ed., The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire. Volume II. A.D. 395-527 (Cambridge, 1980) = PLRE II pp.949-950. Vassilli, L., "Oreste, ultimo esponente del tradizionialismo romano," Rivista di Filologia e d'Istruzione Classica 67 (1939) p.261ff. Geoffrey S. Nathan History of Ancient Rome for Kids: The Roman Emperors History >> Ancient Rome For the first 500 years of Ancient Rome, the Roman government was a republic where no single person held ultimate power.

However, for the next 500 years, Rome became an empire ruled by an emperor. Although many of the republican government offices were still around (i.e. the senators) to help run the government, the emperor was the supreme leader and was even sometimes thought of as a god. Who was the first Roman Emperor? The first Emperor of Rome was Caesar Augustus. He actually had a lot of names including Octavius, but was called Augustus once he became emperor. He was the adopted heir of Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar paved the way for the Roman Republic to become an Empire. Caesar had a very strong army and became very powerful in Rome. When Caesar defeated Pompey the Great in a civil war, the Roman Senate made him dictator. However, some Romans wanted the republic government back in power. In 44 BC, just a year after Caesar was made dictator, Marcus Brutus assassinated Caesar. However, the new republic did not last long as Caesar's heir, Octavius, was already powerful. He took Caesar's place and eventually become the first Emperor of the new Roman Empire.

Julius Caesar by Andreas Wahra Strong Emperors At first you may think that the Roman republic moving to an empire led by an Emperor was a bad thing. In some cases, this was absolutely true. However, in other cases the Emperor was a good, strong leader who brought peace and prosperity to Rome. Here are a few of the better emperors of Rome: Emperor Marcus Aurelius Photo by Ducksters Caesar Augustus - The first Emperor, Augustus, set a good example for future leaders. After years of civil war in Rome, his rule was a time of peace called the Pax Romana (Roman peace). He established a standing Roman army, a network of roads, and rebuilt much of the city of Rome. Claudius - Claudius conquered several new areas for Rome and started the conquest of Britain. He also built many roads, canals, and aqueducts. Trajan - Trajan is considered by many historians to be the greatest of Rome's Emperors. He ruled for 19 years. During that time, he conquered many lands increasing the wealth and size of the empire. He also was an ambitious builder, constructing many lasting buildings throughout Rome. Marcus Aurelius - Aurelius is called the Philosopher-King.

Not only was he Emperor of Rome, but he is also considered one of history's foremost stoic philosophers. Aurelius was the last of the "Five Good Emperors". Diocletian - He was perhaps both a good and bad emperor. With the Roman Empire growing too large to manage from Rome, Diocletian split the Roman Empire into two sections; the Eastern Roman Empire and the Western Roman Empire. This enabled the huge Empire to be ruled more easily and to defend its borders. However, he also was one of the worst emperors when it came to human rights, persecuting and killing many people, especially Christians, because of their religion. Crazy Emperors Rome also had its share of crazy emperors. A few of them include Nero (who is often blamed for burning Rome), Caligula, Commodus, and Domitian. Constantine the Great Constantine the Great ruled over the Eastern Roman Empire. He was the first Emperor to convert to Christianity and started the Roman conversion to Christianity. He also changed the city of Byzantium to Constantinople, which would be capital of the Eastern Roman Empire for over 1000 years.

End of the Roman Empire The two halves of the Roman Empire ended at different times. The Western Roman Empire ended in 476 AD when the last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustus, was defeated by the German, Odoacer. The Eastern Roman Empire ended with the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. Take a ten question quiz about this page. For more about Ancient Rome: Overview and History Octavian - Augustus 'Augustus' Gaius Julius Octavius (63 BC - AD 14) The future emperor Augustus was born into an equestrian family as Gaius Octavius at Rome on 23 September 63 BC. His father, Gaius Octavius, was the first in the family to become a senator, but died when Octavian was only four. It was his mother who had the more distinguished connection. She was the daughter of Julia, sister to Julius Caesar. He was of short stature, handsome and well proportioned and he possessed that commodity so rare in rulers - grace. Though he suffered from bad teeth and was generally of feeble health.

His body was covered in spots and he had many birthmarks scattered over his chest and belly. As for his character it is said that he was cruel when young, but became mild later on. This, however, might just be because, as his position became more secure, the need for brutality lessened. For he was still prepared to be ruthless when necessary. He was tolerant of criticism, possessed a good sense of humour, and had a particular fondness for playing dice, but often provided his guests with money to place bets. Although unfaithful to his wife Livia Drusilla, he remained deeply devoted to her. His public moral attitudes were strict (he had been appointed pontifex (priest) at the age of fifteen or sixteen) and he exiled his daughter and his grand-daughter, both named Julia, for offending against these principles. Octavian served under Julius Caesar in the Spanish expedition of 46 BC despite his delicate health. And he was to take a senior military command in Caesar's planned Parthian expedition of 44 BC, although at the time being only 18 years old.

But Octavian was with his friends Marcus Agrippa and Marcus Salvidienus Rufus in Apollonia in Epirus completing his academic and military studies, when news reached him of Caesar's assassination. At once he returned to Rome, learning on the way that Caesar had adopted him in his will. No doubt this only increased his desire to avenge Caesar's murder. Though when he arrived Octavian found power in the hands of Mark Antony and Aemilius Lepidus. They were urging compromise and amnesty. But Octavian refused to accept this attitude. With his determined stand he soon succeeded in winning over many of Caesar's supporters, including some of the legions. Though he failed to persuade Marc Antony to hand over Caesar's assets and documents. Therefore Octavian was forced to distribute Caesar's legacies to the Roman public from whatever funds he was able to raise himself. Such efforts to see Caesar's will done helped raise Octavian's standing with the Roman people considerably. Many of the senators, too, were opposed to Antony. Octavian, appreciated as Antony's primary rival by then, was granted the status of senator, despite not yet being twenty.

During the summer of 44 BC the senate's leader, Cicero, delivered a series of infamous speeches against Marc Antony which came to be known as the 'Philippics'. Cicero saw in the young Octavian a useful ally. So, when in November 44 BC Antony left Rome to take command in northern Italy, Octavian was dispatched with the senate's blessing to make war on Antony. Marc Antony was defeated at Mutina (43 BC) and forced to retreat into Gaul. But now it showed that Cicero had definitely lost control of the young Octavian. Had the two reigning consuls both been killed in the battle, then in August 43 BC Octavian marched on Rome and forced the senate to accept him as consul. Three months thereafter he met with Antony and Lepidus at Bologna and the three came to an agreement, the Triumvirate. This agreement between Rome's three most powerful men completely cut off the senate from power (27 November 43 BC). Cicero was killed in the proscriptions that followed. Brutus and Cassius, Caesar's chief assassins, were defeated at Philippi in northern Greece.

Octavian and Marc Antony, the winners at Philippi, reached a new agreement in October 40 BC in the Treaty of Brundisium. The Roman empire was to be divided between them, Antony taking the east, Octavian the west. The third man, Lepidus, was no longer an equal partner. He therefore had to make do with the province of Africa. To further strengthen their agreeement, Antony married Octavians' sister Octavia. But it was not to be long, before Antony abandoned her to return to his lover Cleopatra. Meanwhile Octavian's own standing had been heightened by the deification of Julius Caesar in early 42 BC. He was no longer to be addressed as 'Octavian' but insisted on being called 'Caesar' and he now styled himself as 'divi filius' - 'son of the divine'. He used the following years to strengthen his hold over the western provinces. Also in this time Marcus Agrippa, Octavian's most loyal friend, delivered Italy from the menace of the fleet of Sextus Pompeius, a son of Pompey the Great.

As Lepidus fell by the wayside during the conflict with Sextus Pompeius, this left Antony and Octavian rulers of the Roman world. Antony lived openly with Cleopatra, queen of Egypt. Octavian's apparent modesty and moral strictness contrasted strongly with Antony's life as an oriental monarch at the lavish Egytian court. Rome's sympathies therefore clearly lay with Octavian. By 32 BC the agreement made at Tarentum (an extension of the Treaty of Brundisium by four years) strictly speaking had run its course and the Triumvirate ceased to be. Octavian tried to maintain the charade that he really wasn't exercising any powers. When Antony divorced Octavia, Octavian lashed out by reading out in public Antony's will, which had quite illegally come into his possession. This will promised not only large inheritances to his children by Cleopatra, but it also demanded that, should he die in Italy, his body should be returned to Cleopatra in Egypt. Antony's will was the final straw. For in all Rome's eyes, this could never be the will of a true Roman. The senate declared war.

At Actium on the west coast of Greece on 2 September 31 BC the fateful battle took place. Once again it was Agrippa who commanded the forces on behalf of his friend Octavian and won victory. Both Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. The vast treasures of Egypt fell to Octavian, and Egypt itself became a new Roman province. Octavian's next, highly questionable act was to put to death Cleopatra's son Caesarion. Caesarion in fact was the child of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar. Octavian being the adoptive son of Caesar, he in essence ordered the death of his step-brother. Victory of Actium had given Octavian the undivided mastery of the Roman world. But this position had once been held before by Julius Caesar. Octavian was not one to forget what fate had befallen Caesar. In order to prevent a similar demise, he needed to create a new constitution. Hence on January 27 BC Octavian in the so-called 'First Settlement' went through a strangely orchestrated ceremony in which he 'surrendered' all his power to the senate - thus restoring the Republic.

It was a purely symbolical sacrifice as he receiving most of the very same power right back again. The entire effort were meticulously planned and overseen by his supporters and associates. Octavian received into his personal control, for ten years, the vitally important provinces of Egypt, Cyprus, Spain, Gaul and Syria. Also he was contually re-elected as consul from 31 to 23 BC. Further he now received the name 'Augustus', a slightly archaic term, meaning 'sacred' or 'revered'. Augustus apparently preferred the term 'princeps' (first citizen) which he had been granted, though he also kept the title imperator to point out his position as military chief of staff. Octavian's great achievement was persuading the senate to accept him as head of the Roman state, while leaving the senators room for their political ambitions. Augustus left Rome for Gaul and Spain to put down truculent tribes in the summer of 27 BC and did not return until 24 BC. Then in 23 BC Augustus fell so seriously ill that he himself thought he was dying. This brush with death appeared to have been a further decisive moment in his life.

For when he recovered, he set about once more to change the Roman constitution. In the 'Second Settlement' Augustus gave up the consulship and instead was awarded tribunician powers (tribunicia potestas) for life by the senate. Tribunician powers gave him the right to call the senate to meetings, to propose legislation in the popular assembly, and to veto any enactments. Also his command over 'his' provinces was renewed. Then in 19 BC he also was granted not merely the consulship (which lasted for one year) but consular power for life. His power was thereafter unassailable. Augustus held equal power to the most powerful politicians in Rome and yet greater power still in the provinces of the empire. On the death of Lepidus (12 BC), the failed third Triumvir, who had been shunted aside with the conciliatory position of pontifex maximus, Augustus assumed that highest of all religious positions for himself. Perhaps the highest point came in 2 BC when the senate granted Augustus a new honour. He was henceforth pater patriae, the father of the country.

Augustus was undoubtedly one of the most talented, energetic and skillful administrators that the world has ever known. The enormously far-reaching work of reorganization and rehabilitation which he undertook in every branch of his vast empire created a new Roman peace with unprecedented prosperity. Following in the footsteps of Julius Caesar, he won genuine popular support by hosting games, erecting new buildings, and by other measures to the general good. Augustus himself claimed to have restored 82 temples in one year alone. But further there were grand new buildings like the Theatre of Apollo, the Horologium (a giant sun dial) and the great Mausoleum of Augustus. Augustus' right hand man Agrippa, too, embarked on several major building projects. Among these were the Pantheon, later rebuilt by Hadrian. Agrippa also repaired the city's water system and added two new aquaeducts, the Aqua Julia and the Aqua Virgo. One building though is clearly lacking from Augustus' reign - a palace. He lived in a spacious house on the Palatine Hill, evidently avoiding any symbols of monarchy.

And although he did continue to style himself 'divi filius', son of the deified Caesar, he clearly avoided any form of worship to his own person as was the case in the eastern world, where rulers were themselves frequently worshipped as gods. Most of all, Augustus appeared to appreciate that his personal standing and security benefitted from governing in the public interest. Augustus was no great military commander, but he possessed enough common sense to recognize that this was so. And so he relied on Agrippa to do his fighting for him. After Actium, Augustus only once took command of a campaign (the Cantabrian War of 26-25 BC) in Spain. But even there he eventually had to rely on one of his generals to bring the war to a successful conclusion. Though despite his lack of military skill, Augustus achieved vast gains in imperial territory as well as in the standing of Rome. Most important was no doubt the conquest of Egypt in 30 BC. Then in 20 BC he recovered the legionary standards captured by the Parthians at the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC simply by threatening Parthia with war.

Also he made the Danube the frontier in the east of Europe, after his forces fought hard campaigns conquering the Alpine tribes and occupying the Balkans. But his attempts at making the river Elbe the empire's northwestern frontier ended in the Varian disaster and it became clear to everyone that the Rhine was to be the future border. Under Augustus the army was thoroughly reorganized strengthened and posted away from Italy into the provinces. He also remodelled the civil service and substantially rebuilt some parts of Rome, even appointing 3'500 firemen under a chief fire officer. No-one could ever have foreseen the success of Augustus' reign. His long life only went to further create him and his family as the natural rulers in the eyes of the Roman people. Although to create a dynasty proved very difficult to Augustus. At first he clearly understood his loyal friend Agrippa to be his obvious successor. And, when he believed himself to lay dying in 23 BC, it was indeed Agrippa he handed his signet ring to. As his marriage to Livia, accept for a premature birth, produced no children, his plans of inheritence therefore envolved his daughter Julia from his previous marriage to Scribonia.

Had Julia been married to Marcellus in 25 BC (the son of Augustus' sister Octavia), then Marcellus was also a potential heir. But Marcellus died soon after 23 BC. So, with Agrippa his only possible successor, Augustus had his friend divorce his existing wife and marry the widowed Julia. Agrippa was 25 years older than his new wife, but their marriage brought forth three sons and two daughters. Augustus adopted the sons Gaius and Lucius as his own. Then in 12 BC Agrippa died. Augustus realized that should he himself die, the two young boys would be left without a guardian. Therefore, Augustus turned to his wife Livia's two adult sons from her previous marriage. He made the elder son, Tiberius, divorce his wife Vipsania and marry Julia, and become protector to the young princes. Tiberius deeply loved his wife Vipsania and strongly resented Augustus' demands, but the marriage went ahead on 12 February 11 BC.

As both Gaius and Lucius died early in their lives, Augustus was left with only one choice of successor - Tiberius, son of Livia. And so, on 26 June AD 4 he somewhat reluctantly adopted the equally reluctant 44 year old Tiberius, together with the 15 year old Agrippa Postumus, the youngest son of Agrippa and Julia. Postumus though soon turned out to be a violent and thoroughly nasty individual and so was sent into exile only three years later. During his final years Augustus withdrew more and more from public life. Intending to travel with Tiberius to Capri, and then on to Beneventum, he left Rome for the last time in AD 14. He fell ill on the way to Capri and, after four days resting on Capri, when they crossed back to the mainland Augustus at last passed away. He died at Nola on 19 August AD 14, only one month away of his 76th birthday. The body was taken to Rome and given a stately funeral and his ashes were then placed in his Mausoleum. Roman Empire The Roman Empire: in the First Century.

The Roman Empire. Emperors. Emperors | PBS Busts of First Century Emperors The story of Romeï¿½s Emperors in the first century AD has got it all ï¿½ love, murder and revenge, fear and greed, envy and pride. Their history is a rollercoaster that lurches from peace and prosperity to terror and tyranny. Hereditary rule Why was the first century so turbulent? The first answer is simple: hereditary rule. For most of this period, emperors were not chosen on the basis of their ability or honesty, but simply because they were born in the right family. For every great leader, such as Augustus , there was a tyrant like Caligula . For every Claudius there was a Nero ; for every Vespasian , a Domitian . Only at the end of the period did Rome take the succession into its own hands and select somebody who was reasonably sane, smart and honest. Force and violence Whatï¿½s more, the empire started through violence and depended on force. Emperors could only survive if their people believed they could outgun anyone and everyone else.

If an army grew dissatisfied, the emperor was in trouble; if dissatisfaction spread further, he was finished. Civil war had brought Caesar to power. Once emperor and without an obvious heir, he had adopted Augustus. He may have been the first to choose a successor and call it hereditary succession, but he was not the last ï¿½ Claudius sidelined his own son in favor of Nero, while Nerva "adopted" Trajan to ensure a smooth succession. With the Imperial throne offering such enormous power, and the rules of inheritance always open to interpretation, itï¿½s no wonder that members of the royal family jostled for position or used extreme methods to get the result they wanted. Job for life Finally, once on the throne, there was no easy exit. Emperors had no elections or term limits, no early retirement or pension plans. It was a job for life, so if an emperor was mad, bad or dangerous, the only solution was to cut that life short. Everybody knew it, so paranoia ruled.

For many, the sacrifices required to get the top job were enormous: Tiberius had to divorce the woman he loved for one he did not; Caligula saw most of his family executed or exiled; Claudius was betrayed and then poisoned by the women he loved. Although the rewards of power were enormous, many smaller players ï¿½ like Titus , Galba or Vitellius ï¿½ barely had time to try on the imperial robes before they died. In the first century, politics could seriously damage your health. Where to next: The Social Order in Ancient Rome ï¿½ Emperors and Patricians Religion in Ancient Rome ï¿½ Roman worship How Augustus Rose From Obscurity to Greatness By N.S. Gill Updated August 06, 2016. Augustus, a fascinating and controversial man, may have been the most important figure in Roman history. Through his long life (63 B.C. - A.D. 14) and deeds, the failing Republic was converted to a Principate that endured for centuries.

The Name of Augustus Before he was assassinated, Julius Caesar named his grand-nephew Octavius as heir, but Octavius did not know of it until Caesar's death. He then took the name C. Julius Caesar Octavianus or Octavian (or simply Caesar), which he kept until he was named Imperator Caesar Augustus on January 16, 17 B.C. Rise From Obscurity Being the adopted son of the great man meant little politically -- at first. Brutus and Cassius, the men who headed the faction that had killed Julius Caesar were still in power, as was Caesar's friend Antony. Cicero's support of Octavian led to the repudiation of Antony and ultimately, to Octavian's acceptance in Rome. Augustus and the Second Triumvirate In 43 B.C., Antony, his supporter Lepidus, and Octavian formed a triumvirate (triumviri rei publicae constituendae) for five years that would end in 38 B.C. Without consulting the senate, the three men divided the provinces among themselves, instituted proscriptions, and (at Philippi) fought the liberators who then committed suicide.

Augustus Wins the Battle of Actium The second term of the triumvirate ended at the end of 33 B.C. By this time Antony had married Octavian's sister and then repudiated her for Cleopatra. Accusing Antony of setting up a power in Egypt to threaten Rome, Augustus led Roman forces against Antony at the Battle of Actium . Antony, decisively defeated, soon committed suicide. Power of Augustus With all strong opponents dead, the civil wars ended, soldiers settled with the wealth acquired from Egypt, Octavian -- with universal support -- assumed command and was consul every year from 31-23 B.C.

Question: Who is considered to be the first Roman emperor?
Answer: Augustus