[Prev Page][Contents][Next Page]

Julio-Claudian Emperors

Caesar Augustus

For the next few years, Octavian ran everything. The business of the city, of the provinces, the army, finance, foreign affairs -- he tended to all of it, or he delegated it to hand-picked men. It was a burden he could not carry indefinitely, and in 27 he made a significant change.

In the year 27, Octavian sent notice to the Senate that he wished to speak to that body on a matter of grave importance. Before the assembled senators, he spoke of all he had done for Rome, detailing his accomplishments. He spoke also of how hard was the work, and the toll it was taking on him. Saying he was tired, and that he had already done far more for Rome than any other individual citizen, he resigned all his offices.

The senators cried out in dismay. They pleaded with him to reconsider, for the good of the state. A spokesman stepped forward to offer a compromise: Octavian would remain consul, but a second consul would be elected annually, as of old, so that he could share the burden. He would remain proconsul over Italy, Spain, Gaul and Syria, but the Senate would take up responsibility for the rest of the provinces.

Octavian accepted these terms. A grateful Senate voted him the cognomen Augustus, by which name he is generally known in the history books. We usually call him Octavian until the year 27, and Augustus after that.

The likelihood is rather low that Augustus truly walked into the Senate that day intending to retire from public life like Sulla. He had too clear an understanding as to the true state of the Republic. But he really was tired and he really was overworked, and he needed some strategem by which to share power. So he (likely) cooked up this resignation scene, with his own men putting forward the compromise that he desired.

The effect of the arrangement of 27 was that the Senate now was able to run domestic affairs. Once again, elections were held for aedile, praetor, quaestor and the other traditional offices of the Republic. The Senate even got to manage some provinces. Augustus retained control over the military, though, and over finances, and over foreign affairs.