Augustus Caesar Born: Rome's First Emperor
Augustus Caesar was born Gaius Octavius in 63 BC, a great-nephew of Julius Caesar and entirely unremarkable-seeming until Caesar's assassination made him the heir. He was 18. He outmaneuvered Mark Antony, Cicero, and Cleopatra through a combination of patience, political calculation, and a talent for making himself seem less dangerous than he was. He ruled Rome for 44 years as its first emperor, calling himself Princeps — first citizen — to avoid the word 'king' that had cost Caesar his life. He rebuilt Rome in marble, ended a century of civil war, and extended the empire's borders. He was asked on his deathbed whether he'd played his part well. 'If it pleased you,' he said, 'give us your applause.' He'd been playing a part since he was 19.
September 23, 63
1963 years ago
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