Why augustus was a bad emperor

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The Roman politician and general Mark Antony 83—30 B. His romantic and political Julius Caesar was a renowned general, politician and scholar in ancient Rome who conquered the vast region of Gaul and helped initiate the end of the Roman Republic when he became dictator of the Roman Empire.

Despite his brilliant military prowess, his political skills and his Greek philosophy and rhetoric moved fully into Latin for the first time in the speeches, letters and dialogues of Cicero B. A brilliant lawyer and the first of his family to achieve Roman office, Cicero was one of the The son of a great military leader, he escaped family intrigues to take the throne, but his He is best known for his debaucheries, political murders, persecution of Christians and a passion for music that led to the probably In B.

He then marched his massive army across the Pyrenees and Alps into central Italy in what would be remembered as one of the most Known for his philosophical interests, Marcus Aurelius was one of the most respected emperors in Roman history. He was born into a wealthy and politically prominent family. Growing up, Marcus Aurelius was a dedicated student, learning Latin and Greek.

But his greatest He was also a patron of the arts, especially poetry. While his propaganda was not always accurate, it could be argued that he gave hope to the people of Rome and instilled in them a measure of almost spiritual civic pride. History demonstrates that the presence of any level of democracy makes additional progress more likely. Although Roman democracy was dominated by the patrician gentry class, certain events during the Republic marked a move towards a more egalitarian system of power sharing with the plebeians, or commoners.

Yet, it should be noted that while Rome seemed to be travelling in a democratic direction, only citizens patrician and plebeian could hold any political power. The patrician Senate was put on a path toward irrelevance, ultimately achieved by t he reforms of Emperor Diocletian in the late 3 rd century AD. Furthermore, the powers of the plebeian assemblies, the Roman legislative branch that was operated on the principle of direct democracy, ended with the death of the Republic. In summary, Augustus did bring prosperity, grandeur and pride to Rome, but he effectively killed a year experiment of democracy, beginning with the Kingdom and developing in the years of the Republic.

Importantly, archaeological evidence suggests that the wealth and extravagance of the Empire was not experienced by the common residents of Rome, who suffered greatly from poverty and disease. While Roman democracy was never perfect and far from universal, it at least gave some power to the citizenry and promoted democratic ideals.

More plunder. Plus they had to avenge the recent defeat of Crassus and the lost of the legion eagles to the Parthians. You're right Why didn't they, except for some revenge expeditions by Tiberius and Germanicus?

Probably because they weren't worth it. The Germans were less developed economically and culturally than the Celts, and arguably more dangerous. This made the economics of conquest very unprofitable. The Germans were at an agricultural level barely above scratching the soil with a stick, and the further the Romans pentrated into Germanic territory, the less likely it was the legions could live off any conquered settements.

It made more sense in the long run to simply fortify the borders and deal with the bands of raiders that managed to penetrate.

Because the Germans were not in any sense united, they fought amongst each other more than against the Romans within ten years of the Varus disaster, Arminius was assassinated by his own people and the German tribes were reverting to civil war. Augustus could never have foreseen that years later these groups would have amalgamated into supertribes thanks to the Hunnish migration.

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Augustus, good or bad emperor? Recommended Posts. Octavia 0. Report post. Posted January 8, Share this post Link to post Share on other sites. Nephele 4. Click on link below: Why was Augustus so successful in creating the Roman Empire? Primus Pilus The economic prosperity of the empire grew and Roman authority was cemented throughout after a few precarious years of instability and divided loyalties.

Art, architecture, literature and culture entered what is sometimes referred to as a golden age. Despite some issues with potential mutiny in Illyria and the failings of Varus in Germania, the legions were positively reorganized for central control and the defense of the empire. He was a propoganda wizard who simply had people feeling good about their world and their future.

While I disagree with the principle of it and it's ultimate result, he established a line of succession that temporarily eliminated civil war. The plebes were treated well or kept in line via bread and circuses should anyone prefer, but this was nothing unusual in Roman culture regardless of Republic vs. After the purges of the second triumvirate political supporters were advanced and a semblance of old constitutional practice continued to exist.

At least there were no more purges after the Augustan settlements and what we might consider the official establishment of "empire". He did revise the senate rolls at least 4 times 27, 18, 11 BC and 4 AD , but these do not seem to have been accompanied with proscriptions. Ursus 6. Posted January 9, Ingsoc 0. Porcius Cato 2. Why not ask what the Romans thought of Augustus? On the day of the funeral soldiers stood round as a guard, amid much ridicule from those who had either themselves witnessed or who had heard from their parents of the famous day when slavery was still something fresh, and freedom had been resought in vain, when the slaying of Caesar, the Dictator, seemed to some the vilest, to others, the most glorious of deeds.

Then followed much talk about Augustus himself, and many expressed an idle wonder that the same day marked the beginning of his assumption of empire and the close of his life, and, again, that he had ended his days at Nola in the same house and room as his father Octavius. People extolled too the number of his consulships, in which he had equalled Valerius Corvus and Caius Marius combined, the continuance for thirty-seven years of the tribunitian power, the title of Imperator twenty-one times earned, and his other honours which had either frequently repeated or were wholly new.

Sensible men, however, spoke variously of his life with praise and censure. Some said "that dutiful feeling towards a father, and the necessities of the State in which laws had then no place, drove him into civil war, which can neither be planned nor conducted on any right principles.

He had often yielded to Antonius, while he was taking vengeance on his father's murderers, often also to Lepidus.