Vast wealth and power along with expanding land led to the downfall of the Roman republic. People that were once sturdy, honest farmers that devoted themselves to the gods now revered money and personal comfort above all else. In 146 BCE, Rome had no external enemy causing it to slip into corruption and civil discord. This led to political conflicts and violence which shaped the path of the new Roman Empire. Julius Caesar brought his army, illegally, from Gaul to Italy in 49 BCE. Five years later, the Ides of March, a group of senators led by Marcus Junius Brutus assassinated Julius Caesar. They mistakenly believed that taking down Caesar would restore the Roman republic to its former glory but it did not, the republic was dead. Born Gaius Octavius in 63 BCE, he was the great-nephew of politician Julius Caesar. Caesar defeated Pompey in 48 BCE, around the time that Octavius was elected to priesthood. After defeating Antony, who wasted away Caesar’s money however he wanted, …show more content…
Public business and private matters were managed by the Senate. Consuls and praetor’s were prestigious and exercised their authority over the people. Consul’s were men annually elected chief magistrates who jointly ruled the republic. A praetor was a roman magistrate that ranked below the consul. Public revenue and taxes were in the hands of the equites. The equites were the wealthy businessmen that chose not to pursue a career in the government. As a sentimental republican, he yearned for the time when the Senate had ruled Rome[ Ronald Mellor, Augustus and the Creation of the Roman Empire, pg. 80]. However, Tacitus does notice that the provinces improved under the rule of Augustus, because the new government diminished greed and violence under the Republic. Augustus was constantly trying to promote his image as a public benefactor to appeal to the people, so he used different medians like coins and buildings to advertise