Why did the Roman senate strike down Caesar but hand in more power to Augustus?

Answer 1

Caesar was struck down because he had gained too much power and showed no intention of relinquishing any of it. The assassins considered this a threat to the republic. Remember, though, that the entire senate did not take part in the killing, it was only a few who were either disgruntled or patriotic, depending upon your point of view.

Answer 2

They were grateful for the service that he had done the empire in eliminating any perceived eastern threat, in adding Egypt to the empire and for the Egyptian loot that he brought back to Rome. Besides, they really had no choice. Afterall, Octavian/Augustus had more than 40 legions under his sole command after Actium. There was always the possibility of him marching on Rome as Sulla and Caesar had done if things didn't go his way, especially since some of them remembered how he had forced them to declare him a consul.

They were grateful for the service that he had done the empire in eliminating any perceived eastern threat, in adding Egypt to the empire and for the Egyptian loot that he brought back to Rome. Besides, they really had no choice. Afterall, Octavian/Augustus had more than 40 legions under his sole command after Actium. There was always the possibility of him marching on Rome as Sulla and Caesar had done if things didn't go his way, especially since some of them remembered how he had forced them to declare him a consul.

They were grateful for the service that he had done the empire in eliminating any perceived eastern threat, in adding Egypt to the empire and for the Egyptian loot that he brought back to Rome. Besides, they really had no choice. Afterall, Octavian/Augustus had more than 40 legions under his sole command after Actium. There was always the possibility of him marching on Rome as Sulla and Caesar had done if things didn't go his way, especially since some of them remembered how he had forced them to declare him a consul.

They were grateful for the service that he had done the empire in eliminating any perceived eastern threat, in adding Egypt to the empire and for the Egyptian loot that he brought back to Rome. Besides, they really had no choice. Afterall, Octavian/Augustus had more than 40 legions under his sole command after Actium. There was always the possibility of him marching on Rome as Sulla and Caesar had done if things didn't go his way, especially since some of them remembered how he had forced them to declare him a consul.

They were grateful for the service that he had done the empire in eliminating any perceived eastern threat, in adding Egypt to the empire and for the Egyptian loot that he brought back to Rome. Besides, they really had no choice. Afterall, Octavian/Augustus had more than 40 legions under his sole command after Actium. There was always the possibility of him marching on Rome as Sulla and Caesar had done if things didn't go his way, especially since some of them remembered how he had forced them to declare him a consul.

They were grateful for the service that he had done the empire in eliminating any perceived eastern threat, in adding Egypt to the empire and for the Egyptian loot that he brought back to Rome. Besides, they really had no choice. Afterall, Octavian/Augustus had more than 40 legions under his sole command after Actium. There was always the possibility of him marching on Rome as Sulla and Caesar had done if things didn't go his way, especially since some of them remembered how he had forced them to declare him a consul.

They were grateful for the service that he had done the empire in eliminating any perceived eastern threat, in adding Egypt to the empire and for the Egyptian loot that he brought back to Rome. Besides, they really had no choice. Afterall, Octavian/Augustus had more than 40 legions under his sole command after Actium. There was always the possibility of him marching on Rome as Sulla and Caesar had done if things didn't go his way, especially since some of them remembered how he had forced them to declare him a consul.

They were grateful for the service that he had done the empire in eliminating any perceived eastern threat, in adding Egypt to the empire and for the Egyptian loot that he brought back to Rome. Besides, they really had no choice. Afterall, Octavian/Augustus had more than 40 legions under his sole command after Actium. There was always the possibility of him marching on Rome as Sulla and Caesar had done if things didn't go his way, especially since some of them remembered how he had forced them to declare him a consul.

They were grateful for the service that he had done the empire in eliminating any perceived eastern threat, in adding Egypt to the empire and for the Egyptian loot that he brought back to Rome. Besides, they really had no choice. Afterall, Octavian/Augustus had more than 40 legions under his sole command after Actium. There was always the possibility of him marching on Rome as Sulla and Caesar had done if things didn't go his way, especially since some of them remembered how he had forced them to declare him a consul.

Answer 3

Augustus turned himself into an absolute ruler while pretending that he was restoring the republic and that he respected its constitution. He learned from Julius Caesar's mistake. Caesar wanted to restore the central government's control over the provinces, which had become the personal fiefs of their governors, and the efficiency of the state by concentrating power in his hands. However, he had given the impression that he wanted to become a king, which outraged conservative republicans and was seen as a threat to the republic. As a result, a group of conservative senators assassinated him. Augustus had the same agenda as Caesar, but had learnt that he needed to try not to antagonise the conservatives and the senators.

In the First Settlement Augustus reached with the senate (27 BC) the senate gave him control of the border provinces of the empire (imperial provinces) with a ten year "pacification" mandate, while the senate retained governance of the core provinces (proconsular or senatorial provinces). This gave the idea that the senate and the traditions of the republic had been respected by allowing the senators in remain in charge of the core provinces. However, this institutionalised Augustus's military power. The border provinces had most of the legions, giving Augustus control of 20 legions, while the senate controlled only five. Moreover, it sanctioned Augustus's extra-constitutional power. Constitutionally, only senators could govern the provinces, but the senate agreed to give Augustus the border provinces because he controlled the army. He was also made permanent consul (head of state), even though the term of office of consuls was meant to be one year and consuls were meant to be elected. As such, he also had power over the governors appointed by the senate.

Augustus commanded the loyalty of the legions. He had been in charge of the majority of them during his civil war against Mark Antony and some of the latter's legions had defected to him during the war. The others were pardoned. Augustus reduced the financial burden of the military on the state by reducing the number of the legions from 50 to 25. He pensioned off the many veterans.

Augustus also used other tactics to maintain his pretence that he was restoring and preserving the republic. He retained the popular assembly and its right to vote on bills and to elect the officers of state. However, he became the real legislator and only made token submissions of bills for the assembly to vote on. He retained the officers of state of the republic and their election by the assembly. However, this was just a formality because he created his own administration and the state was run by officials appointed by him. He revived archaic religious cults which had been forgotten to portray himself as a champion of tradition. However, he called himself son of the divine Caesar and created a religious cult centred on his person like Caesar had done. He chose the title of Princeps, which roughly means first man and first among equals. He derived this title from that of the Princeps Senatus who was the eldest senator and the first member of the senate by precedence and could speak first, but was a first among equals. Augustus pretended that he was a first among equals and that he ruled in conjunction with the senate while acting as an absolute ruler and turning the senate into an instrument for his power. He took up some precedents set by Caesar. He had the senate bestowing titles on him: Princeps and Augustus (the illustrious one) which was a religious rather that a political title.

Answer 4

The senate did more that just allow Augustus a great deal of power. It allowed him to become an absolute ruler. This was because Augustus emerged as the final victor of the civil wars which brought down the Roman Republic. He gained control of the Roman army. As a roman man put it "You don't argue with twenty-five legions." Moreover, Augustus used very clever Propaganda. He made a big deal of being the adoptive son and heir of Julius Caesar, who had been the hero of the people. He presented himself as the restorer of peace to a people who had became war-weary and exhausted by many years of civil wars. He also played the role of the restorer of old roman values, virtues and morality in a city which had became characterised by greed and corruption.

Answer 5

It was not the Senate which assassinated Caesar, it was a small group of self-interested senators.

The Senate did not hand out more power to Augustus - they cut a power-sharing deal with Augustus who had taken over the Empire, getting control of the settled provinces while Augustus took the border provinces (where the army was). They also controlled the city. Augustus did not make the mistake of Caesar who declared himself Dictator for Life - that invited shortening his life. Auugustus relied on behind-the-scenes powers of Tribune of the Plebs (veto, introduce laws to the Senate), control of the army, and powers of a pro-consul outside the capital.

Answer 6

First of all, the Roman senate did not strike down Caesar. There were 600 members of the senate but only a small group of perhaps 30 senators were in on the plot. The senate as a whole, was just as shocked and fearful as the common people. Augustus gained power by political maneuvering combined with the stability he brought to the government.

Answer 7

They were grateful for the service that he had done the empire in eliminating any perceived eastern threat, in adding Egypt to the empire and for the Egyptian loot that he brought back to Rome. Besides, they really had no choice. Afterall, Octavian/Augustus had more than 40 legions under his sole command after Actium. There was always the possibility of him marching on Rome as Sulla and Caesar had done if things didn't go his way, especially since some of them remembered how he had forced them to declare him a consul.