The Achievements of Augustus - The Transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire

Essay from the year 2007 in the subject History - World History - Early and Ancient History, grade: 1,0, Hawai'i Pacific University, course: Introduction to Greco-Roman Civilization, language: English, abstract: How did Augustus transform the Roman republic into an empire? Why was he successful where Julius Caesar had not been? What was the process and what were the results of the changes Augustus introduced? In this essay, various sources about the first emperor of the Roman Empire will be examined, such as those of Augustus himself, of contemporary or later historians, and archaeological evidence. Generally, it can be stated that Augustus rather used the Republican system including all its traditional positions and regulations to gain power, whereas Caesar opposed the traditional ways of political life and therewith made himself the enemy of the state. Augustus achieved his position as the mightiest man in the empire through several strategies, e.g. by clever political/military strategies such as...