What measure did Augustus take to restore order in the Empire?

Answer 1

Augustus restored order in the empire because, by winning the Final Civil War of the RomanRepublic against Mark Antony and Cleopatra, he became the most powerful man in Rome. He controlled the legions, the spoils of war had made an immensely rich man and he had an extensive network of patronage throughout the empire. He used this to become an absolute ruler. He maintained order and stability though his firm grip on power. However, he had to tread carefully.

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 he 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 had Caesar deified, 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. He derived this title from that of the Princeps Senatus, who was the first among equals of the senate, was the eldest senator, the first member of of the senate by precedence and could speak first. Augustus pretended that he was a first among equals and that he ruled in conjunction with the senate while acting as an absolute 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.

Despite all of the above Augustus did have political troubles. There were accusations that he was anti-republican because he wanted his nephew to be his heir, which was a regal thing to do, not a republican one (this alienated even his wife and close advisor, Livia, and his staunchest supporter, Agrippa) and because each year he chose his co-consul, rather than having him elected. Because of discontent, in 23 BC he chose a conservative republican as co-consul and after that he gave up his permanent consulship. Technically he could no longer head the state. This led to the Second Settlement with the Senate. Because of his control over many provinces (and their armies) he was made a proconsul (provincial governor). However, as he was no longer a consul, he had no power over the senatorial consuls and only had imperium (the power to command an army) in his provinces (governors could lead the armies of their provinces). Therefore, he had the senate grant him so imperium proconsulare maius, or "power over all the proconsuls".

With the second settlement Augustus remained an absolute ruler and with his total grip on power, he was able to ensure order and stability

Answer 2

Augustus restored order in the empire because, by winning the Final Civil War of the Roman Republic against Mark Antony and Cleopatra, he became the most powerful man in Rome. He controlled the legions, the spoils of war had made an immensely rich man and he had an extensive network of patronage throughout the empire. He used this to become an absolute ruler. He maintained order and stability though his firm grip on power. However, he had to tread carefully.

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 he 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 had Caesar deified, 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. He derived this title from that of the Princeps Senatus, who was the first among equals of the senate, was the eldest senator, the first member of of the senate by precedence and could speak first. Augustus pretended that he was a first among equals and that he ruled in conjunction with the senate while acting as an absolute 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.

Despite all of the above Augustus did have political troubles. There were accusations that he was anti-republican because he wanted his nephew to be his heir, which was a regal thing to do, not a republican one (this alienated even his wife and close advisor, Livia, and his staunchest supporter, Agrippa) and because each year he chose his co-consul, rather than having him elected. Because of discontent, in 23 BC he chose a conservative republican as co-consul and after that he gave up his permanent consulship. Technically he could no longer head the state. This led to the Second Settlement with the Senate. Because of his control over many provinces (and their armies) he was made a proconsul (provincial governor). However, as he was no longer a consul, he had no power over the senatorial consuls and only had imperium (the power to command an army) in his provinces (governors could lead the armies of their provinces). Therefore, he had the senate grant him so imperium proconsulare maius, or "power over all the proconsuls".

With the second settlement Augustus remained an absolute ruler and with his total grip on power, he was able to ensure order and stability