2053 years ago, a group of “Liberators” assassinated Gaius Julius Caesar in an attempt to restore Rome to its Republic roots. They feared that Caesar, who had become “dictator in perpetuity”, was trying to reinstate the monarchy with himself as king. Therefore, they plotted and at a session of the senate made their move. They stabbed Caesar 23 times.
Out into the capital they proclaimed, “Liberty” and “People of Rome, we are once again free!” There was just one small problem; they didn’t have a plan for after Caesar’s death. The assumed most of the people thought as they did, that Caesar was a tyrant who needed to be done away with. Once he was dead, the Republic would simply go back to the way things had always been. It was a bad assumption.
The “Liberators” were actually a group of wealthy aristocrats. The “people” of Rome (middle and lower classes) had loved Caesar and they grew angry that this group of men had killed their hero and defender. Caesar’s funeral turned into a riot as the crowd became a mob and went after the leaders of the assassins.
Over the next 15 years, there were five civil wars. None of assassins would live past the first two years and it’s probably just as well. Their act to restore the Republic may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back. The man who Caesar had adopted in his will and named his sole heir was the sole survivor of all the civil wars. Gaius Octavian, Caesar’s grandnephew, would become Imperator Caesar Augustus and he finally restored the republic (see my first blog) when he became the Rome’s first emperor.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
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.
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.
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