Augustus's Success: A Combination of Pragmatism and Republicanism

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of Augustus's reign, exploring the key factors that contributed to his success. It delves into his pragmatic approach to leadership, examining how he skillfully navigated the transition from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire. The essay highlights Augustus's respect for republican forms and traditions, demonstrating how he maintained a facade of republicanism while consolidating his own power. It discusses his military reforms, including the creation of a professional standing army, and his expansionist policies. Furthermore, the essay examines the political settlements of 27 BC and 23 BC, detailing how they established the foundations of his authority. It also explores Augustus's reforms of the Senate, his relationships with the Equites and freedmen, and his use of propaganda to solidify his image and control. The essay draws on scholarly sources to provide a well-rounded understanding of Augustus's impact on Rome, concluding with an assessment of his legacy as a transformative leader.

To what extent was Augustus success the
result of a combination of pragmatism and
respect for republican forms and Traditions

Table of Contents
Overview..........................................................................................................................................2
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................2

Overview
The current essay will help to provide a deep understanding of history and the topic for
this study is how Augustus success the result of a combination of pragmatism and respect for
republican forms and traditions
MAIN BODY
Augustus was one of the ancient Rome’s most successful leaders who transform the
Rome from a republic to an empire and he also restored peace and prosperity to Roman State and
also change aspects of every Rome people. Such that Augustus have a both patron and client
relationship. Like, both patron and client engaged in reciprocal, personal trading of goods and
services and then there is a friendship between these two, but it is sign of victory as well.
Apart from this, the success of Augustus is also relies upon his army such that he was the
first man in Rome who create a professional standing army which he actually use for good cause
and with the help of his army, he also expand his empire in North Africa, Spain and Germany
(Barrett, 2016). In his army he added 28 legions, each of them consisting roughly 6000 men and
then he also reformed the length of time a soldier served and then increase it from 6 to 20 years.
Both 23 BC and 27 BC plays a fundamental role in the success of the Augustus such that
these allow him to establish the basis of power. Between bot, 27 BC is consider as a crucial
event in the development of Principate because it provide him a title of Augustus and position
him as a leader of Rome. During the time of 27 BC, there were many settlement Augustus does
such that he given right to declare war and also make treaties, further, most of Spain, all Gaul,
Syria and Egypt are some province which are also given to Augustus which must be governed
by him for 10 years. Not only this, Augustus also retain the power to appoint military tribune
from equites and then he has only power to appoint tax collectors. Along with this, the settlement
of 27 BC also helps Augustus to restore the elections and restores the power to the traditional
magistracies as well. Thus, the 27 BC was called as a first settlement, while 23 BC is known as
second settlement in the history of Rome.

The reform in Senate under the rule of Augustus, is such that a senator had to be a citizen
of a free birth, even he did not have to be convicted of any crimes under Lex Julia de vi private,
and also have a property worth at least of 10 lac sesterces (Wiseman, 2019). Under Augustus
empire, a person become a senator when he was being elected by Quaestor. Also, he appointed
three person Antomy, Lepidus and Augustus who have a power to enact laws without the
approval of Roman Senate. Apart form this, the senate also awarded him for his tribunician
powers for life and an ability to convene Senate (Ferdani and et.al., 2020). As he also learned
and gain experience from his stepfather and that is why, he rejected the title of Dictatorship and
provided a new way to Rome and transform the country completely.
Not only this his contribution is not limited to the country but he also work for Equites
and Freedman and reform their life. Earlier they only help army people but later on they become
one of the best and wealthy people. Now they are also legally free to enter the field of commerce
and finance and even Senate also provided their own horse. In this way, they become one of the
prosperous business and landowning class, eventually forming a third political group in the
growing power struggle in Rome (Reform of Augustus, 2019). On the other side, earlier
freedman are slaves but after the rule of Augustus, they were also release from slavery and after
the war, the slavery in a world is completely transformed and it is all because of Augustus. Also,
earlier they have no right to enter any social class for any specific reason, but after the empire of
Augustus, there was a complete transformation and they also, groom in Rome city easily as like
Equites.
With his strong leadership style and also he developed a pragmatic political philosophy
which actually guided his action as a statesman. Therefore, it has been realized whenever he
wants to deal with the opposition he always use his leadership strategy and try to find out
solution of a problem rather then turning it become a war (Hare, 2019). Moreover, it is also
analyzed that Augustus also use propaganda such that his program does however contain
repetitive images which also act as a foundation for Augustus, such that he used Apollo and
Venus in order to build the power in Augustus while, Mars and Venus are used in order to
establish the peace and stability. Therefore, it is clearly shows that Augustus has different roles
as per the situation which sometimes, make him as a god, while other make him a good leader.
Such that his financial powers also gave him a control of treaties, wars and a relationship with

the other government as well. The Roman people also known him as Augustus: A man for all
seasons i.e. Augustus as a general, Augustus as statesman, Augustus as Religious leader, and
Augustus as a God
Moreover, he also provide many building programs such that Speed up the
communication throughout a province so that people of Rome got easily know about new laws,
he also built relay station for couriers, built new roads and aqueducts with Aqua Julia and Aqua
Virgo (Heslin, 2019). He also maintain public buildings and temples so that people of Rome
freely move and complete the work. These all completely transform the city in opposite manner
such that people of Rome consider him as a god. In this way, he result for the success of the
Rome and gain respect from the people as well.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Barrett, A. A., 2016. Augustus: First Emperor of Rome. The Historian, 78(4), p.810.
Ferdani, D. and et.al., 2020. 3D reconstruction and validation of historical background for
immersive VR applications and games: The case study of the Forum of Augustus in
Rome. Journal of Cultural Heritage.
Hare, A. J., 2019. Walks in Rome. Good Press.
Heslin, P., 2019. The Julian Calendar and the Solar Meridian of Augustus. The Cultural History
of Augustan Rome: Texts, Monuments, and Topography, p.45.
Wiseman, T. P., 2019. The House of Augustus: A Historical Detective Story. Princeton
University Press.
Online
Reform of Augustus. 2019. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.ancient.eu/article/905/reforms-of-augustus/>.