Ancient History Research Task †Augustan Reforms Essay

Ancient History Research Task – Augustan Reforms From ages past, the actions of conquerors, kings and tyrants had brought the Roman Republic to a stance that opposed any idea of a singular leader, of a single man that held total power over the entirety of the state. Their rejection of the various ruthless Etruscan rulers that had previously dictated them brought the Republic to existence in 509 BC , and as a republic their prominence throughout the provinces of the world exponentially expanded. Throughout these years, the traditions of the Romans changed to varying degrees, most noticeably as a result of the cultural influence that its subject nations had upon the republic, as well as the ever-changing nature of Roman society in†¦show more content†¦They feared that Caesar was amassing far too much authority over the actions of the Republic, and in apprehension, sought to eliminate him in order to prevent the Roman people from being once again ruled by a tyrant. Ironically, the aftermath of Julius Caesar’s death led to a series of events which would subsequently bring the change which resulted in Rome’s conversion to an Empire. Amongst the following chaos and an assortment of treaties, rivalries and civil wars, Augustus, then known as Gaius Octavian and adopted son of Julius Caesar rose as the victor. His triumph over Antony and Cleopatra allowed him to claim Egypt as another province to add to the expanse of Rome, and in addition, Cleopatra’s personal wealth was conferred to Octavian as a result of his success . Using this obtained increase in riches, Octavian augmented the connection with his supporters, building upon a foundation to which he in the future would stand upon without any resistance from the Senate. Learning from Caesar’s mistakes made in the path to become a dictator, as well as his careful planning of his own and his title as a hero from emerging victorious in the civil wars, Octavian was able to gradually attain a growing assortment of legal powers and titles bestowed upon him by the Senate. Through this, his influence over the