Photo: С. И. Сосновский, CC BY-SA 4.0

Augustus

63 BCE – 14 · died at about 77^[1][2]

Politics & Leadership

Fun Facts About Augustus

• Augustus's famous last words compared his life to a stage play: "Have I played the part well? Then applaud as I exit," he said.^[1]
• The month of August is named after Augustus. In 8 BC the month Sextilis was renamed for him, chosen because it was the month of his first consulship and several victories.^[1]
• Augustus was born Gaius Octavius. He became Julius Caesar's son only through Caesar's will, which named his great-nephew as primary heir.^[1][3][4]
• On his deathbed, Augustus boasted that he had turned Rome from a city of bricks into one of marble.^[1]
• As a baby, Augustus was given the nickname Thurinus to celebrate his father's victory over followers of Spartacus at Thurii.^[1]
• After defeating Antony and Cleopatra, Augustus visited the tomb of Alexander the Great in Alexandria. He imitated Alexander in his own portraits.^{[1][5][6][7][8]}
• Cleopatra and Augustus were bitter rivals, and his victory ended the Ptolemaic dynasty.^[1][2][7][8]
• Augustus was alive at the same time as Paul the Apostle — their lives overlapped for about 9 years (c. 5–14).^{[1][2][9][10]}

Augustus, also known as Octavian, was the founder of the Roman Empire and the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. The reign of Augustus initiated an imperial cult and an era of imperial peace in which the Roman world was largely free of armed conflict. The principate, a style of government where the emperor showed nominal deference to the Senate, was established during his reign and lasted until the Crisis of the Third Century.^[1]

Contemporaries

Ovid

57 yr overlap

Horace

55 yr overlap

Virgil

44 yr overlap

Cleopatra

33 yr overlap

Cicero

20 yr overlap

Julius Caesar

19 yr overlap

Jesus

18 yr overlap

Paul the Apostle

9 yr overlap

Questions About Augustus

When was Augustus born?

Augustus was born in 63 BCE and died in 14.

How old was Augustus at death?

Augustus died in 14 at about 77 years old (63 BCE–14).

What was Augustus known for?

Augustus was known for: First Roman Emperor. Augustus, also known as Octavian, was the founder of the Roman Empire and the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. The reign of Augustus initiated an imperial cult and an era of imperial peace in which the Roman world was largely free of armed conflict. The principate, a style of government where the emperor showed nominal deference to the Senate, was established during his reign and lasted until the Crisis of the Third Century.

Who was alive at the same time as Augustus?

Augustus's closest contemporary was Ovid. Their lives overlapped for 57 years.