Beware the Ides of March!

conspirators murder Julius Caesar (March 15th, 44 B.C.)

The tyrant deserved to die, for he thought he was justified in committing the worst of all crimes. . . . Here we have a man who aspired to make himself king over the people of Rome and master of the entire world, and he succeeded! Who but a madman would think that such ambition is morally correct? Who but an anarchist who yearns to see the destruction of law and liberty and thinks that an abominable thing, their suppression, is really something glorious? . . .

Cicero, On Duties 3.21

those who were involved in the conspiracy now drew their daggers and completely surrounded Caesar. He saw their blades leveled at his face and eyes, and like a wild animal trapped in the hunt he met with blows in whatever direction he turned, for it had been agreed that all of the conspirators would participate in the actual assassination and stain themselves with his blood. This explains why even Brutus gave him a dagger blow in the groin. . .

Plutarch, Julius Caesar

The First Roman Emperor

(31 B.C. to 14 A.D.)

Octavian restores appearance of republican govt.

Octavian takes control of provincial command --> commands most of Roman Army

Senate confers the name Augustus on Octavian--> "blessed"

imperium ---> entire Roman world (23 B.C.)

legal right to veto any actions & offer legislation

-stabilizing policies

1) cash payment to soldiers (20 yrs. service)

2) extended the northern frontier

3) created Rome's police force (Praetorian Guard)

-religious policies

1) took role of high priest (Pontifex Maximus)

2) deified Julius Caesar (ruler-cult)

3) took name Divi Filius (son of the divine Julius)

-Rome free from civil wars

-building projects, strengthen family structure

-artistic & literary creativity

-two centuries following Augustus

-period of prosperity, relative stability

-by 3rd c., period of crisis & instability

-rapid succession of emperors --> controlling the army

It was a different world. Not a trace was left of the old Roman morality. The ideal of political equality had been abandoned and everyone watched and waited for the commands of the emperor

Tacitus, Annals

I expanded the borders of all those provinces of the Roman people located next to tribes which had not submitted to our power. I pacified the provinces of Gaul, Spain and Germany . . . Under my guidance and authority two Roman armies marched almost simultaneously into Ethiopia and the region or Arabia known as Felix, where they defeated great forces of both nations and captured a large number of towns. . . . I annexed the land of Egypt to the Roman Empire. . . . I established colonies of soldiers in Africa, Sicily, Macedonia, the regions of Spain, Achaea, Syria, Narbonese Gaul and Pisidia. . . . after I had put an end to civil war and had acquired supreme power in the Republic by universal consent of the Roman people, I returned my state power to the Senate and the Roman people

Augustus, Res Gestae

The Senate proclaimed that Augustus was one of the immortals, established a college of priests and holy rituals for him . . . The Senate voted a shrine in his honor . . . Other shrines were built in many other places . . . While his shrine was being built in Rome the Senate placed a golden image of him on a couch in the temple of Mars . . .

Dio Cassius, Roman History