Augustus Good And Bad

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Roman Leaders

Augustus, the son of Gaius Octavius, was a descendent of a wealthy old equestrian family. His father, Octavius, was the first to enter the Senate (Suetonius, Augustus, 43, 2). Augustus was seen as a model Roman citizen, based on his leadership and values. On the other hand, Nero, son of Gnaeus Domitius, was born into a despicable family (Suetonius, Nero, 209, 5). Nero was one of the worst emperors of Rome, bankrupting and destroying the city for his own means. Based on virtues, advancements in Rome, sexuality, and personal life, Nero and Augustus show their leadership and character. Augustus had the virtues of auctoritas, gravitas, and dignitas. Augustus was successful at leading his Legions to conquer new territories

Nero promised to model himself based on Augustus (Suetonius, Nero, 212, 10). He “never missed an opportunity of being generous or merciful or of showing what a good companion he was (Suetonius, Nero, 212, 10).” He never forgot a face, and would greet men of all classes or rank by name (Suetonius, Nero, 212, 10). Based on his beginnings as emperor, Nero was grounded and had dignity. However, Nero’s true character of selfishness is prominent during the rest of his reign. When urgently needed in Rome, Nero chose his musical career with the Greeks over his own homeland (Suetonius, Nero, 219, 23). During nightfall, Nero would prowl the streets of Rome in search of mischief. He would attack men on their way home from dinner, stab them if they offered resistance, and then drop their bodies down the sewers (Suetonius, Nero, 221, 26). He would break into shops, afterwards opening a miniature market in his home with the stolen goods, dividing them up into lots, auctioning them himself, and squandering the proceeds (Suetonius, Nero, 221, 26). He was once almost beaten to death by a senator whose wife he had molested (Suetonius, Nero, 221,