How did Augustus' reign affect Rome?

Answer 1

It is incorrect to say the reign of Caesar because he was neither a king nor an emperor. During his five years of rule Rome was still a Republic. Caesar expanded Roman influence by conquering Gaul and adding it to Roman territories. His rule was marked by civil war between himself and his opponents which ended not long before he was assassinated. The battles of the civil war were fought around the empire: Spain, Greece, Egypt and Tunisia. The empire was divided between supporters of Caesar and supporters of his opponents.

After Caesar's death there were further civil wars. Augustus emerged victorious and became sole ruler and the first Roman Emperor. He restored order and took control of the politics and the administration of the empire. He created efficient bureaucratic machinery and promoted thriving trading networks around the empire and beyond (Arabia, Persia, China, India and Ethiopia). He also expanded the empire. He annexed Egypt and completed the conquest of Spain. He annexed client stated of Rome: Judea, Cappadocia, Galatia (in Turkey) Thrace (eastern Bulgaria) Moesia (western Bulgaria, the Macedonian Republic and southern Serbia) and Pannonia (western Hungary and eastern Austria). He conquered the Alpine region to improve the defence of Italy: Rhaetia (central and eastern Switzerland, much of southern Germany and the Tyrol) and Noricum (Slovenia and most of Austria).

Answer 2

In many many ways. The most major one is the way the Government was run. He learned from the murder his uncle Julius Caesar that if you wanted total control you could not blatantly just express it. You had to make the Senate believe that they had power but really had none. He did this very well. He also made the Senate believe that he was such a good person to have in charge, not saying that he wasn't, so much so that they believed that Rome might even fall apart without him. Some people would swear an oath of allegiance to him. He introduced the imperial system and established the first line of Emperors. His subordinate, Tiberius, became the next person in charge when he died. Augustus also introduce the Pretorian guard, elite troops to defende emperors.

Answer 3

The reforms that Augustus tried to impose upon the Roman people, fell flat for the most part. These are the civil reforms, such as the sumptary laws and the marriage laws. Most people ignored them, but some unscrupulous ones used them for their own gain. However the reform of the military, the rebuilding of Rome's infrastructure and the 82 temples he either restored or rebuilt contributed to making the city of Rome a jewel in the ancient world, and the people of Rome were justifiably proud of their city.

Answer 4

Augustus changed the power system of Rome and started a new historical period, the period of rule by emperors. By emerging as the final victor in the civil wars which brought down the Roman Republic he used his power to establish his personal absolute rule and become the first Roman emperor. By establishing tight control over Roman politics and the Roman state, Augustus was able to create a strong central government which was capable of controlling the provinces of the empire and their governors, who had previously been unruly. This stated the 200-year period of the tax Romans, a period of relative political stability in the empire.

Augustus promoted trade though low taxation and by promoting infrastructural projects which facilitated it; the construction or roads, bridges, ports, aqueducts, dams and the like. The trading networks in the empire and beyond thrived. Augustus promoted or sponsored important public works in Rome and said on his deathbed "I found Rome a city of bricks and I have left it a city of marble."