How Did Caesar Augustus Use Of Imperial Power

Caesar Augustus (63 B.C.E.-14 A.D.) was a prince of absolute power, but a benevolent, beneficial one. He had so much power that had he not been such a good leader, he might have created a far less successful world for the people of his empire. Instead, because he was both skillful and successful, he became a revered and celebrated figure during the course of his long reign. Backed by a strong military, he established a haven of peace within an expanding empire in which citizens were encouraged to pursue the arts, to work on building the infrastructure the empire needed, to own land, and to celebrate the glory of Rome and Augustus himself. Augustus’s empire succeeded because Augustus knew how to value and protect the people who lived there.

In addition to Roman citizens, Augustus recruited men from other parts of the empire: colonized soldiers joined Roman citizens to fight in the name of the empire (Johnson, The Human Drama, 275). The empire was so big that Augustus needed more men from the new territories he conquered to both secure the expanding borders and to continue to press outward. With every new expansion, Augustus continued to look strong and to glorify the empire. The victories allowed the Romans to feel that they were mighty and always on the winning team. The measures Augustus took to protect his empire and grow his army also show the careful and cautious ways he maintained power. To keep his army loyal, he paid his troops and granted them land and citizenship when they left the army (McKay, 157). Augustus claimed that “500,000 Roman citizens were under military oath to me… to all of these I allotted lands or granted money as rewards for military service” (Caesar Augustus, The Achievements of the Divine Augustus, 144). An unintended, but valuable consequence of the existing Roman soldiers fighting together with new recruits was that the new recruits became assimilated to Rome by learning the language and the culture (Johnson, The Human Drama, 275). This also helped make the army loyal to Augustus: a diverse population to found common

He used his power to build infrastructure that would benefit Rome. “I repaired the conduits of the aqueducts which were falling into ruin in many places… I doubled the capacity of the aqueduct called Marcia” (Caesar Augustus, The Achievements of the divine Augustus, 145). The infrastructure projects, that included bridges, canals, roads, and temples, provided jobs, helped with transportation and water, and also gave Romans beautiful buildings in which to honor a need for spiritual worship, especially of Rome itself (Johnson, The Human Drama, 276). Augustus must have recognized that while bridges and aqueducts are necessary for commerce and transportation, his people would also benefit from artistic freedom and cultural development. “Augustus actively encouraged poets and writers” (McKay, 158). Augustus’s rule was so stable and sound that his civilization had the time and security to explore the arts. Augustus was so highly revered that one temple inscription referred to him as the “Divine Augustus Caesar, son of a god” (Roman Temple Inscription in Myra, Lycia). He benefitted from great loyalty. Although Augustus did not consider himself divine (perhaps to exhibit humility relatability), he was an exalted figure. Long before the Pope became head of