CB
10/13/17 < do I have bad luck now?
☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ
(Question 1) What was the Augustan Settlement? (2) How did Augustus balance his perceived need for absolute power with his concern to lend the impression that the republic had been restored and the old ways were being observed?
(Question 2) Use your reading and the video lesson to summarize important events in the life of Julius Caesar.
I knew tackling the events of Julius Caesar would be hard for me but everyone knows "Caesar's palace" and all that, he's a famous figure in history. So I thought it'd be interesting to write about.
(Question 1) The Augustan Settlement was the transition of powers and responsibility all to the leader Augustus (also known as Octavian). He became the supreme leader of Rome, which was now a monocracy. Augustus was a military dictator and he had his own army. He was given by the Senate most of Spain, Gaul, Syria, and Egypt. He is also given the title "Augustus" which is a great honor. Augustus was made a tribune (tribunica potestas in latin) this means he had power and control over the provincial governors.
They were his inferiors. And, as a tribune, he could bring matters before the people and exercise vetos. Augustus also gave back power to the traditional magistrates. That (summed up) is what the "Augustan Settlement" pertained to.
(2) Although Augustus did have supreme power he kept up appearances of the old Roman government (a republic) staying in place. This was a necessary facade.
When Julius Caesar came in trying to instate a full dictatorship, in a public way, he got assassinated by republic loyalists. Too much pride wasn't in good regard to the Romans, (even if Caesar ended up being right looking back the history.) His death played a critical role in the fall of the "Roman Republic" and the rise of the "Roman Empire".
The Senate played a back and forth game with Augustus. He was trying to hand back his power and the Senate basically said back, "no take it". This game went on a while until Augustus finally accepted his power. That was all for show, to the public (another facade).
From the other perspective, Augustus needed to have absolute power. If Rome was a republic again they'd turn to fighting again. More civil wars, and chaos. No one wanted that. So he couldn't just step down from power, it was a slow and peaceful transition. Augustus did learn from Caesar's mistakes. He wasn't pretentious or forceful to the public about his power. Augustus was humble and did what was best for the Roman people, the state, and himself. He made for a good ruler.
(xxside note: I think the 'Augustan Settlement' also worked out well for Augustus, not only because he handled things well, rational, but because after Caesar's death Caesar was deemed "a god". This connects in relation(family) , Octavian/Augustus was then "the son of a God". The Romans were very serious about their religion, and so, this may have contributed to his success. And no disrespect for Caesar and his accomplishments, it's just the emphasis was on Augustus here.)
Happy Fall! I love autumn so much. I took a short break from this blog, but I obviously kept on doing school so here's my most recent essay.
(Question 2)
(will be edited in...))
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