How did Augustus become emperor?

Answer 1

After the assassination of Julius Caesar Rome broke into civil war with Octavian leading one faction, and Anthony leading the other. Eventually Octavian defeated Anthony and declared himself Emperor under the name Augustus Caesar.

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Mark Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus formed the Second Triumvirate.

Mark Antony marries Octavian's sister, Octavia. He plans to take over all of Rome and leave Octavian in the dust (or dead).

Mark Antony, a party type, goes off to Egypt. There, he falls in love with the Pharaoh, Cleopatra. They have an affair, and Octavian uses this as a tactic to turn the public against Mark Antony (the Romans hate Cleopatra). Using this gossip, he convinces the people that Mark Antony has been "put under a spell" by Cleopatra, and uses this as an excuse to start a war against him.

At the Battle of Action (A naval battle), Mark Antony and Cleopatra's forces are defeated, and they both commit suicide. Octavian takes power, and rechristens himself Caesar Augustus.