AUGUSTUS

AUGUSTUS

Augustus  was the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor, ruling from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD. Born Gaius Octavius into an old and wealthy equestrian branch of the plebeian  Octavii family, in 44 BC he was adopted posthumously by his maternal great-uncle Gaius Julius Caesar following Caesar's assassination. Together with Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus, he formed the Second Triumvirate to defeat the assassins of Caesar. After the demise of the Second Triumvirate, Augustus restored the outward facade of the free Republic, but he retained his autocratic power over the Republic as a military dictator.

The reign of Augustus initiated an era of relative peace known as the Pax Romana (The Roman Peace). Despite continuous wars or imperial expansion on the Empire's frontiers and one year-long civil war over the imperial succession, the Roman world was largely free from large-scale conflict for more than two centuries. Augustus dramatically enlarged the Empire, annexing Egypt, Dalmatia, Pannonia, Noricum, and Raetia, expanded possessions in Africa, expanded into Germania, and completed the conquest of Hispania. Augustus died in 14 AD at the age of 75. He may have died from natural causes, although there were unconfirmed rumors that his wife Livia poisoned him.

1. Augustus

a)    was the natural heir of Caesar

b)    was born in a poor family

c)    in a wealthy plebeian family

d)    was born in an aristocratic family

2. During his reign

a)    there were a lot of large-scale wars

b)    the Romans had a period called Pax Romana

c)    the Romans had a period called War Romana

d)    there were a lot of civil conflicts

3. His army

a)    conquered some lands in Africa

b)    conquered London

c)    made no conquests

d)    only expanded into Germany