Octavian Augustus - born September 23, 63 BC B. C., died 19 August 14 (76 years old).
Octavian Augustus, or, as he was called in childhood and adolescence, Octavius was the great-nephew of the famous Roman general Gaius Julius Caesar (his maternal grandmother, Julia, was the emperor's sister). Caesar, who had no male offspring, announced in the will of the adoption of Octavian, to whom his family name and 3/4 of the property were to be transferred. The mother advised the young man not to agree to inheritance and from adoption, but Octavian strongly objected that it would be shameful cowardice to do so.
Arriving in Rome, he first of all turned for support to Anthony, an old military comrade-in-arms of his adoptive father and his companion in the last consulate. Antony, who was then at the height of his power and almost single-handedly in charge of all affairs, met Octavian with disdain and advised him to quickly forget about adoption. He noticed that the young man was simply out of his mind if he seriously intended to take on such an unbearable burden as Caesar's inheritance. Octavian left him in great anger.
Convinced that Antony firmly holds the capital in his hands, Octavian left for Campania and began to prepare for an armed struggle. From all sides, under his banners, Caesar's veterans began to flock, and soon he had 5 legions under his command. Antony saw that the matter was getting serious, and he hastily set out for Brundisium and summoned Macedonian troops here. In total, he was able to collect 4 legions. But at the beginning of 43 BC. the term of his consulate expired. Aulus Girtius and Guy Panza became consuls.
Having enlisted their support, the senators accused Anthony of exceeding his powers, as well as that he sent the army given to him for the war in Thrace against Italy. He was offered to go as a proconsul to Macedonia, and when Antony refused, he was declared an enemy of the fatherland. After that, the Senate took care of the two main inspirers of the assassination attempt on Caesar - Cassius and Brutus. Macedonia was handed over to Mark Brutus, and Cassia was entrusted to Syria. All the provinces that were located east of the Ionian Sea were required to supply them with money and supplies. Thus, in a short time they were able to gather a large army and turned into a formidable force.
Under these conditions, Octavian found it more profitable for himself to maintain loyalty to the Senate and voluntarily obeyed his orders. The legions that he gathered were put on state allowance, and he himself, in the rank of propraetor, was instructed, together with the consuls, to oppose the rebels who besieged one of Caesar's assassins, Decimus Brutus, in Mutina.
The war against Antony was completed in two months and was very successful for Octavian. In the first battle in which Panza was wounded, he did not take part. But in the second, which unfolded at the walls of Mutina, he had a chance not only to be a commander, but also to fight like a soldier. When the standard-bearer of his legion was wounded in the thick of battle, he carried his eagle on his shoulders for a long time. Consul Hirtius, pursuing the enemy, broke into Antony's camp and fell at the commander's tent.
The defeated Anthony retreated with the remnants of his army for the Alps. The Senate was very pleased with his defeat, and even more so that he was able to deal with him with the hands of Octavian. Now that the direct threat to the state was over, many believed that the time had come to put this ambitious young man in his place. The case turned in such a way that Decimus Brutus was declared the victor under Mutin. The name of Octavian was not mentioned at all in the orders of the Senate. Offended by all this, Octavian demanded a triumph for military exploits. In response, the senators sent him a contemptuous refusal, explaining that he was still very young and should grow to triumph.
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Faced with such disdain for himself, Octavian harbored a grudge and began to look for ways to get closer to Antony. In time it became known that Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, whom the Senate, together with Decimus Brutus, had entrusted to wage the war against Antony, went over to the latter's side with his 7 legions, many other units and valuable equipment. After that, Anthony again turned into a formidable opponent. To oppose him, the Senate summoned two legions from Africa and sent Cassius and Brutus for support.
Octavian was also called to oppose Antony, but he instead began to incite his soldiers to displeasure. He pointed out to them that as long as the relatives of Caesar's assassins reign in the Senate, the land holdings of the veteran Caesarians could be taken at any time. Only he, the heir of Caesar, can guarantee their safety, and for this they must demand consular authority for him. The army greeted Octavian amicably and immediately sent centurions to demand consular authority for him. When the senators again refused this impudent and outright illegal demand, Octavian raised his troops, crossed the Rubicon and led 8 legions to Rome.
As soon as the news of the approach of Octavian's army came to Rome, there was a terrible panic and confusion; all in disarray began to scatter in different directions. The Senate was in unparalleled horror, as the three African legions, for which he had his last hope, immediately went over to the side of the rebels upon arrival in the capital. The city was surrounded by soldiers. Repressions were expected, but Octavian did not touch anyone yet, he only seized the treasury and paid each legionnaire 2,500 drachmas.
Then he held elections and was elected consul together with his protege Quintus Pedius. After that, he instituted criminal proceedings against Caesar's assassins for killing the first official in the state without trial. All of them were convicted in absentia and sentenced to death, while the judges cast their votes, submitting to threats and duress under the personal supervision of Octavian.
Having done all this, he began to think about reconciliation with Antony. It was reported that Brutus and Cassius had assembled 20 legions and many other auxiliary troops. In the face of such a formidable danger, all Caesarians had to unite and act together. Therefore, the senate canceled the hostile decisions against Antony and Lepidus, and Octavian congratulated them on this in a letter. Antony and Lepidus immediately answered him in a friendly way. By this time, all the trans-Alpine troops, including all 10 legions of Decimus Brutus, had gone over to their side.
When the internecine wars among the Caesarians were ended and all the European provinces recognized their authority, Octavian, Antony and Lepidus came together near the city of Mutina on a small and flat island located on the Lavinia River. Each of them had 5 legions with him. Having placed them against each other, the generals met in the middle of the island in a place visible from all sides and began negotiations.
After two days of meetings, it was decided that in order to put in order the state, upset by civil wars, it was necessary to establish a new magistracy, equal in value to the consular post - the triumvirate. Lepidus, Antony and Octavian were to become triumvirs for the next 5 years. Each of them was to receive a part of the western provinces under their authority: Antony - all Gaul, Lepidus - Spain, Octavian - Africa, Sardinia and Sicily. Italy was to remain in general government. The question of the eastern provinces was postponed until the end of the war with Cassius and Brutus.
We also decided to deal with personal enemies so that they would not interfere with the implementation of their plans for a long-distance campaign. The triumvirs compiled lists of people sentenced to death in private, suspecting all influential people. Moreover, they sacrificed their relatives and friends to each other. One by one, the ancient historian Appian wrote, they were added to the list, some because of enmity, some because of simple resentment, some because of friendship with enemies or enmity with friends, and some because of outstanding wealth.
In total, 300 senators and 2,000 horsemen were sentenced to death and confiscation of property. Having agreed on everything, the triumvirs entered Rome. Having surrounded the popular assembly with troops, they passed all their decisions through it, thus giving them the appearance of law. At night, in many places in the city, proscription lists with the names of persons to be destroyed were displayed. The heads of all those executed were exhibited at the forum. Each head was paid 250,000 drachmas, and slaves - 10,000 (they were also given freedom and Roman citizenship).
At the beginning of 42 B. C. Octavian set off for Brundisium and sailed with an army to Epidamnes. Here he was forced to stop due to illness. Antony alone led an army to Philippi, where Brutus and Cassius stood with their legions. Octavian arrived later, not yet recovered from his illness - he was carried on a stretcher in front of the ranks of the troops. Both sides had 19 heavily armed legions, but Cassius and Brutus had more cavalry.
Antony first attacked the enemies and defeated Cassius, while Brutus put the legions of Octavian to flight. The defeated Cassius committed suicide, and Brutus led both troops. A new battle soon began. That flank, which was under the direct command of Brutus, took over the legions of Antony and put the enemy's left wing to flight. But on the other flank, Octavian's legions broke through the enemy formation and immediately attacked Brutus's rear, after which his entire army fled. Brutus himself took refuge in a nearby forest. That same night, he said goodbye to his friends and, throwing himself on the sword, committed suicide.
Celebrating the victory over the enemy, Octavian went to Italy to distribute the lands promised to them to the soldiers and distribute them among the colonies. Anthony went to the eastern provinces to collect the money promised to the soldiers. There he remained in the future. Some time later, in 40 BC, the Triumvirs met in Brundisium and concluded a new treaty among themselves.
The Roman state was divided by them into three parts, so that Octavian got all the provinces to the west of the Illyrian city of Skodra, and Antony got everything to the east of it. Africa remained with Lepidus. Octavian was destined to fight Sextus Pompey, who seized Sicily and undertook a real blockade of the Italian coast, and Antony - with the Parthians. Because Fulvia, Antony's wife, had recently died, it was agreed that Antony would marry Octavia, Octavian's sister. After that, both triumvirs went to Rome and celebrated their wedding there.
In the years that followed, Octavian was completely absorbed in a difficult war with Pompey. He repeatedly suffered defeats in it, but he could still in 36 BC. complete it safely. Immediately after this, Lepidus, his comrade-in-arms in the triumvirate, who wanted to annex Sicily to his possessions, spoke out against Octavian. True, in speed it became clear that Lepidus had not calculated his forces. Even his own soldiers did not approve of the feud with Octavian. They began to leave Lepidus, first one by one, then in groups, and finally in whole legions. Octavian accepted them all. When asked what to do with the abandoned Lepidus, he ordered to save his life, but deprived him of all powers. Lepidus went to Rome and lived there until his death as a private person.
Having finished with Pompey and Lepidus, Octavian turned to public affairs. But he could not fully concentrate on peaceful problems because of the imminent war with Anthony. He lived in Alexandria and, seized with love for the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, completely lost his head. Not only did he insult his wife - Octavian's sister, openly living with another woman, he caused himself a wave of hatred from the Romans also by the fact that he divided the eastern provinces of the Roman state between his children from Cleopatra. Reporting this to the Senate and often speaking to the people, Octavian gradually hardened the Romans against Antony. In the end, an open break followed.
In 32 B. C. Antony sent his men to Rome with orders to expel Octavia from his home and began to prepare for war. By that time, he had no less than 500 warships, 100,000 infantry and 12,000 cavalry. Octavian had 250 ships, 80,000 foot soldiers and 12,000 cavalry. Aware of his double advantage at sea, Anthony intended to solve the war by sea battle. Although it was pointed out to him that for such a large number of ships it was impossible to assemble a sufficient number of rowers and therefore they would be slow and clumsy, Antony did not change his mind to please Cleopatra. Meanwhile, Octavian's fleet was impeccably equipped.
In September 31 B. C. both fleets met in Greece at Cape Actium. Octavian himself commanded on the right flank, and the left entrusted his commander Mark Vipsanius Agrippa. As many had foreseen, Anthony's ships turned out to be worthless. Due to the lack of rowers, they could not gain acceleration, on which the strength of the ram mainly depends. Octavian's ships easily avoided attacks, bypassed the enemy from the side and attacked from the rear. The outcome of the battle was still far from being decided when 60 Egyptian ships, led by Cleopatra, suddenly took to flight. As soon as Anthony saw this, he, as if distraught, threw the battle and rushed to catch up with the queen. His fleet continued to fight for some time, but by the evening it ceased resistance. A week later, the entire land army surrendered - 19 legions and the mass of cavalry.
In the spring of 30 B. C. Octavian moved to Egypt. He himself went through Syria, and his generals - through Africa. Pelusius surrendered to the Romans without a fight. Octavian approached Alexandria, and here, near the Horse List, Anthony's cavalry had a successful battle with him. However, this minor victory could no longer change the fate of Anthony. The remnants of his fleet went over to the side of Octavian, then the cavalry spread, only the infantry entered the battle, but was defeated. Abandoned by all, Anthony committed suicide by stabbing himself with a sword. Octavian wanted to lead Cleopatra through Rome during his triumph as a prisoner, but she, despite strict supervision, was poisoned. Egypt was converted to a Roman province.
Having defeated Antony, Octavian became the sole ruler of the huge Roman state, although officially his special position was not fixed in any way. He did not want to proclaim the monarchy, and on behalf of the sovereign (which flatterers had repeatedly suggested to him) flatly refused. In 27 BC. he adopted the honorary name of Augustus from the Senate, but in official documents preferred to call himself the princeps (literally "the first in the list of senators").
Neither appearance, nor way of life, Octavian Augustus tried not to stand out among others. As a witness in court, he, like an ordinary citizen, endured interrogations and objections with rare calmness. His house was modest, unremarkable neither in size nor decoration, there were no marble or piece floors in the rooms. The tables and beds that Octavian Augustus usually used could hardly satisfy even a simple layman. Octavian Augustus wore only homemade clothes, made by his sister, wife, daughter or granddaughters.
Despite poor health, Octavian Augustus lived to a ripe old age and died unexpectedly in 14 years. Before his death, writes Suetonius, he commanded to comb his hair and correct his sagging jaw. And when the friends came in, Octavian Augustus asked them how they thought he played the comedy of life well? And he said:
If we played well, clap
And send us a good parting word.
K. Ryzhov