Augustus and the Creation of the Roman Empire A Brief History with Documents

by Mellor, Ronald

• ISBN13: 9780312404697
• ISBN10: 0312404697
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-06-21
• Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's

Summary

During his long reign of near-absolute power, Caesar Augustus established thePax Romana, which gave Rome two hundred years of peace and social stability, and established an empire that would endure for five centuries and transform the history of Europe and the Mediterranean. Ronald Mellor offers a collection of primary sources featuring multiple viewpoints of the rise, achievements, and legacy of Augustus and his empire. His cogent introduction to the history of the Age of Augustus encourages students to examine such subjects as the military in war and peacetime, the social and cultural context of political change, the reform of administration, and the personality of the emperor himself. Document headnotes, a list of contemporary literary sources, a glossary of Greek and Latin terms, a chronology, questions for consideration, and a selected bibliography offer additional pedagogical support.

Author Biography

RONALD MELLOR (Ph.D., Princeton University) is professor of ancient history at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he served as chair of the history department from 1992 to 1997. Centering his research on ancient religion and Roman historiography, Professor Mellor has written seven books: The Roman Historians (1999); Text and Tradition: Studies in Greek History and Historiography in Honor of Mortimer Chambers (ed. 1999); The Historians of Ancient Rome (ed. 1997); Tacitus: The Classical Heritage (1995); Tacitus (1993); From Augustus to Nero: The First Dynasty of Imperial Rome (ed. 1990); and Thea Rome: The Goddess Roma in the Greek World (1975). Professor Mellor is the statewide Principal Investigator of the California History–Social Science Project, which brings university faculty together with K-12 teachers.

Table of Contents

Foreword	v
Preface	vii
A Note about the Text	viii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS	xvi
PART ONE Introduction: From Octavian to Augustus	1	(50)
The Collapse of the Roman Republic	3	(3)
The Rise of Octavian	6	(10)
Augustus as Princeps	16	(3)
The New Constitution	19	(3)
Creating a New Elite: Senators and Equestrians	22	(3)
Social and Religious Reform	25	(4)
The Army in War and Peace	29	(4)
Italy and the Provinces	33	(4)
The Imperial Family and Succession	37	(3)
"A City of Marble"	40	(4)
The Golden Age of Latin Literature	44	(2)
The Death and Legacy of Augustus	46	(2)
The Evaluation of Augustus	48	(3)
Principal literary Sources for the Age of Augustus	51	(6)
PART TWO The Documents	57	(116)
1. The Rise of Octavian	59	(31)
1. Augustus, The Achievements of Augustus, 14 CE	59	(10)
2. Nicolaus of Damascus, On Julius Caesar's Admiration for the Young Octavius, 20s BCE	69	(1)
3. Suetonius, On the Ides of March: The Assassination of Julius Caesar, Second Century CE	70	(2)
4. Appian, On Octavian's First Confrontation with Antony, Second Century CE	72	(2)
5. Marcus Tullius Cicero, Letters Revealing His Views of Young Octavian, 44 BCE	74	(3)
6. Appian, On the Second Triumvirate, Second Century CE	77	(3)
7. Tacitus, A Senatorial View of the Civil War, Second Century CE	80	(2)
8. Plutarch, On Cleopatra's Seduction of Mark Antony, Second Century CE	82	(2)
9. Cassius Dio, On Octavian's Propaganda against Antony, Third Century CE	84	(1)
10. Suetonius, On Antony's Propaganda against Octavian in 34 BCE, Second Century CE	85	(1)
11. Cassius Dio, On the Conquest of Egypt, Third Century CE	86	(4)
2. Augustus as Princeps	90	(6)
12. Suetonius, On the Restoration of the Republic, Second Century CE	90	(1)
13. Cassius Dio, On the Illness of Augustus in 23 BCE, Third Century CE	91	(1)
14. Suetonius, Some Anecdotes and Descriptions concerning Augustus, Second Century CE	92	(2)
15. Macrobius, On Augustus' Sense of Humor, Fifth Century CE	94	(2)
3. The New Constitution	96	(8)
16. Cassius Dio, How Agrippa and Maecenas Gave Political Advice to Augustus, Third Century CE	96	(6)
17. The Law Bestowing Power on the Emperor, January 70 CE	102	(2)
4. Creating a New Elite: Senators and Equestrians	104	(4)
18. Suetonius, How Augustus Revised the Membership of the Senate, Second Century CE	104	(1)
19. The Town of Superaequum Honors a Local Man Who Became a Senator, Early First Century CE	105	(1)
20. A Town in Asia Honors a Roman Administrator, 6 CE	106	(2)
5. Social and Religious Reform	108	(15)
21. Suetonius, On How Augustus Must Be Worshipped with the Goddess Roma, Second Century CE	108	(1)
22. Josephus, On King Herod's Construction of a Temple to Roma and Augustus, Late First Century CE	109	(1)
23. Suetonius, On Augustus' Restoration of Temples and Revival of Religious Rituals, Second Century CE	110	(2)
24. The City of Narbo Celebrates the Emperor's Birthday, 11 CE	112	(1)
25. Cassius Dio, On Augustus' Speech in Favor of Marriage, Third Century CE	113	(2)
26. Roman Law Codes, Details of Augustan Legislation on Adultery and Marriage, Sixth Century CE	115	(2)
27. Funeral Oration for an Exceptional Wife, Late First Century BCE	117	(3)
28. Dionysius of Halicarnassus, On How the Emancipation of Roman Slaves Corrupts the Citizen Body, 8 BCE	120	(1)
29. Gaius, On Augustan Laws Restricting the Freeing of Slaves, Second Century CE	121	(2)
6. The Army in War and Peace	123	(4)
30. Velleius Paterculus, On the Annihilation of Rome's German Legions, First Century CE	123	(2)
31. Suetonius, On Augustus' Reaction to News of the Disaster in Germany, Second Century CE	125	(2)
7. Italy and the Provinces	127	(10)
32. Tacitus, On the Administration of the Empire, Second Century CE	127	(1)
33. Suetonius, On How Augustus Showed Great Respect for Greek Culture, Second Century CE	128	(1)
34. Cassius Dio, On How Augustus "Shared" Provincial Government with the Senate, Third Century CE	129	(2)
35. Imperial Edicts for the Government of Cyrene, 7 BCE	131	(2)
36. Josephus, On Augustus' Confirmation of the Rights of Jewish Communities, Late First Century CE	133	(1)
37. Philo of Alexandria, On Augustus' Benevolence toward Rome's Jews, 39 CE	134	(2)
38. The Gospel According to Luke, On the Birth of Jesus of Nazareth, About 80 CE	136	(1)
8. The Imperial Family and Succession	137	(11)
39. Suetonius, On the Grandchildren of Augustus, Second Century CE	137	(2)
40. Tacitus, On Augustus, Livia, and Their Family, Second Century CE	139	(2)
41. Aulus Gellius, A Letter from Augustus to His Grandson Gaius, Second Century CE	141	(1)
42. Cassius Dio, How Livia Gives Advice to Augustus, Third Century CE	142	(2)
43. Suetonius, A Report on Letters between Augustus and Tiberius, Second Century CE	144	(1)
44. Suetonius, Augustus Asks Livia: "What Should We Do about Claudius?" Second Century CE	145	(3)
9. "City of Marble" -Augustan Culture	148	(12)
45. Horace, I Came, I Fought, I Ran, 23 BCE	148	(1)
46. Horace, Rejoice: The Egyptian Queen Is Dead, 23 BCE	149	(2)
47. Horace, Augustus Has Brought Peace, 13 BCE	151	(1)
48. Virgil, A Description of the Battle of Actium, 19 BCE	152	(1)
49. Ovid, On Jupiter's Praise of Augustus, 8 CE	153	(2)
50. Vitruvius, On How Augustus Was Patron of the Arts, 23 BCE	155	(1)
51. Suetonius, On the Emperor as a Builder, Second Century CE	156	(1)
52. Strabo, A Greek View of Augustan Rome, 20 CE	157	(3)
10. The Death and Legacy of Augustus	160	(13)
53. Suetonius, On the Death and Funeral of Augustus, Second Century CE	160	(1)
54. Cassius Dio, Another Account of Augustus' Death, Third Century CE	161	(2)
55. Tacitus, On the Funeral of Augustus, Second Century CE	163	(3)
56. Seneca, On the Clemency of Augustus, 55 CE	166	(2)
57. Velleius Paterculus, A Soldier's View of Augustus, 29 CE	168	(1)
58. Pliny the Elder, On the Trials and Tribulations of an Emperor, 75 CE	169	(2)
59. Philo of Alexandria, Jewish Praise for Augustus, 39 CE	171
APPENDIXES
A Glossary of Greek and Latin Terms	173	(3)
A Chronology of Events Relating to Caesar Augustus and the Roman Empire (63 BCE-1453 CE)	176	(3)
Questions for Consideration	179	(2)
Selected Bibliography	181	(4)
Index	185