The Republic is Restored

It was January 13th of the year we now call 27 BC and Consul Imperator Caesar Octavian, son of a god, had come to the Senate. It had been a year and half since his return to Rome and over 3 years since his victory over the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. So strong and powerful was she that she had corrupted his former partner Mark Antony leading him astray.

They were dead now, each taking his/her own life. Sole power was vested in Caesar. He had spent the last year and a half consolidating his rule and for only the third time in the history of Rome the doors on both sides of the Temple of Janus were closed to show that Rome was at peace. Caesar gave a great speech in which he returned the power of the government to the Senate and the people of Rome. At some point it is believed he said something that could be translated as “The Republic is restored”.

It had been all carefully planned out. The Senate “managed” to talk him out of stepping down as consul and three days later they awarded him many honors and titles. Among those given were the title of princeps (first citizen) and the honorific of Augustus (the exulted one). Although he was serving as Consul he was also made proconsul (governor) of over half of Rome’s provinces. Unable to be in all of them he appointed lieutenants to act on his behalf. Thus over half of the administrators of the provinces owed their loyalty to Caesar personally and not the Senate. Since he was given the more troubled areas he also controlled almost 70% of the Roman Army.

The Republic had been restored. By “republic” Augustus had meant the state of Rome, not the same old failed government that had let him rise to power, but a newer more stable one. On January 13th it was restored but on January 16th the Empire was born.

Why bring this all up? Augustus is recognized as the first Roman Emperor. It’s not a title he would recognize, or even accept, if he understood today’s meaning because his power came from the people and the senate and had to be renewed every 5 or 10 years. Of course that was never really in question. To be safe and secure the people of Rome put on an act of preserving the republic all the while giving up their rights and freedoms to establish a new form of monarchy.