How did Caesar Augustus transform Rome? 

This image looks nothing like the historical image of Augustus

Actually Octavian didn't kill all of the children Mark Antony and Cleopatra had. Their Children Alexander Helios, Cleopatra Selene II and Ptolemy Philadelphus were spared. While Caesarion was not spared. Alexander, Cleoptra and Ptolemy were taken to Rome and put under the guardianship of Octavian's older sister Octavia The Younger and they were generously received by Octavia, who educated them with her own children.

The Polar opposite of octavian and yet they work well together.

@@AKAZA-kq8jd Idk that I would call us """"polar opposites"""". Just like you and Justinian, I was to politics at the time what Agrippa was to military. If we didn't have similar beliefs, it wouldn't have worked out. Just like you and Justinian. By the way, I'd have smacked the shit out of Gelimer if he started opening his mouth at one of my triumphs, calling it vanity of vanities. Missed opportunity there.

@@augustuscaesar8287 I wanted to get Perozes after he Is insulted me to prepare him a bath at Dara but sometimes we can't leave things to chance.

@@AKAZA-kq8jd Ehh.. In that case you made the right decision to put that silly letter on your eagle standard.

@@augustuscaesar8287 Long trem is better then sort.

absolutely man, knowledge is a gift

@@Rafay7969 very much so!

@@giorgosgkialpis1394 indeed

@@giorgosgkialpis1394 He sucks.

Yes and historia civilus too

No shit. I would choose him to narrate my life story over Morgan Freeman. Morgan Freeman is great too.

@@benedictjajo Hear me out, what if they _both_ narrated your life?

@@flazzorb McCallion narrates the first half while Freeman ends the show.

…if it weren’t for the repetitive, annoying music.

@@flazzorb what if they argued while narrating your life?

The most amazing thing about the story is how baldly the will was forged. Octavius, already a powerful politician in command of some legions, went behind closed doors and wouldn't you know it, he inherited everything!

The actual reasons behind Caesar decision is unclear. It should be noted the will was not a finished product. Within it, Caesar actually mentioned Antony and Octavian as guardians of his children. Chidden which Caesar did not have (Julia was dead, and he never had male children. If we ignore the existence of Caesarion, which was probably a lie anyway). So Caesar was supposedly expecting to have children. In the absence however, Caesar wrote Octavian ended up getting something around 75% (The rest going to his younger cousins). So Caesar may have been planning a different outcome and Octavian was advantaged by luck. However, as you say, his adoption is quite peculiar. For one, btw, post-mortem adoption was not a standard practice. It was not a first, however it was not common either, and many tried to block it as illegal. Adoption both of family and name, was usually done while both men were alive as a sign, often political. However since Caesar wrote it in his will only, we have no precedence to attempt to understand what Caesar meant of it. We should be skeptical of what Octavian ended up doing of it. Because he obviously used it best as he could, and interpreted it in order to give him the greatest politcal advantage. Quite skilfully. Although it's possible Caesar was expecting this, there is no evidence to support it, and perhaps Caesar meant something else. Mark Antony surely thought so. It should also be noted Caesar was planning to appoint Octavian as master of the horse for his Parthian campaign. A sign of being second in command. And lot's of other political roles were being proposed for the young man. Which certainly implies Caesar decision to give his nephew a greater role in the Caesarian camp. However this was not unique to Octavian. Caesar had done similar things for most of his other close followers, including Brutus. So it's not as if Octavian was an exclusion. However Caesar only gave his name to Octavian not to anybody else. We have no idea why. Only interpretations, opposing interpretations, by Octavian and his enemies.

@@leonardodavid2842 Being named the equivalent of "Julius Caesar Jr." was enough of a proof for adoption.

@@adampleasants2078 I think you're confused about the details of the story. 1. Octavian didn't have access to the will. He wasn't even in Rome. Antony, who was sure he would inherit the most, took control of the will...and then made the mistake of opening and reading the will in public. To his, and everyone else's shock, Octavian was adopted posthumously, made Ceasar's political heir and left 1/3rd of Ceasar's wealth. Obviously, Antony was very unhappy and reluctant to accept it. Octavian, who was in Illyria, heard this news and decided to go to Rome to press his claim. (against the advice of everyone). Antony, who was still in charge of the will, refused to give Octavian his portion of the inheritance...claiming that much of the property was unfairly confiscated by Caesar and Antony would hold on to it until people's properties were restored to them and Ceasar's debtors paid. Antony started giving away and selling off properties for his own gain and political favors and used up a big chunk of Octavian's inheritance. Many of the the individuals who helped Antony embezzle the will, used that money to secretly fund Octavian's cause . Octavian eventually publically reiterated a detail in Ceasar's will that promised money to each and every Roman citizen. This forced Anthony's hand, and the people had to be given what was promised (to protect his popularity). The rest of the wealth was spent on this. All Octavian really got, was Ceasar's name...and he used that to great effect. 1. The Cursus Honorum was the political ladder every roman had to climb if he intended to take on a political career. First, you had to spend a mandatory 10 years in the military before you could even think about qualifying for political office. (Btw, It was illegal to command soldiers without holding high enough political office) Octavian was 19 when Caesar died. You do the math. Octavian had no power...until Caesar adopted him posthumously.

And it would probably irritate Augustus if he knew that we today call him "Octavian" when discussing his early adulthood.

When is next episode coming on History of Byzantium bro? I can't wait

love this quote

I think he said that of Agrippa, who improved Romes irrigation and public buildings.

@@imaad2042 Just got done recording it today - will have the video out next week

@@jaredgarbo3679 What have the romans ever done for us?

I was about to say the same thing. Fine video, but the title is misleading.

Yes, great video, bad title

Theres obviously going to be a part 2. Your nitpicking is lame.

@@CoolAdam247 Feedback is always good for creators, no need to be so edgy cool adam

@@CoolAdam247 besides, if there was a part 2, the title here would still be wrong. I love this channel, I think it's good that people voice their opinions.

Well not really if you include the Byzantine emperors. Basil ll has a longer reign of 49 years.

A most worthy heir to Caesar indeed.

The best one to carry Ceasar's legacy for sure. He, with his talents, was in right place at the right time. Like, i mean, destiny's choice.

Augustus was a tyrant who only loves himself, he has achieved this all by betraying the men who helped him and destroying Rome.

@@houseplant1016 Who did he betray, that "helped him"? Anthony didnt really help him. Cicero (and the senate), thought he could manipulate the young man into having the Caesarians fight and destroy themselves. He thought wrong. Lepidus insisted on taking Sicily (which would have caused another civil war), but his own soldiers, fed up of civil wars, abandoned him and joined Octavian. And Lepidus was made Ponifex Maximus and retired in a villa. Octavian and Aggripa were tight till the very end.

@@tylerdurden3722 1. Cicero was a good man, a man of the Republic. Octavian let him being killed by antony and his hands and head being chopped of. He was a man trapped between the mightiest men but still obeyed the morals of the senate. 2. Vergil, the so called "good friend" of August, for the people that don't know Vergil: he was a talented writer who August used to write propaganda. When Virgil was dying he asked that the Aeneid should be burned but August full of egoism ignored the dying man's last words and ordered his best friends to publish it.... 3.August may be a good emperor but the people who came after him were the reason that the Roman empire ended, he is not the father of the Roman empire but the father of the end of Rome. The majority of the emperors after him were corrupt and like a poison for the Roman empire. And he caused this totalitarian system...

Cool, My Son is named Victor Octavius

Your mother is a smart woman apparently.

You found your mother of rocks, left her of marble

​@@WilliamLawrence7I'll name my son Lorenzo Augustus

Most of the maneuvering wasn't directly military. Rome was much more complex than that. Most of Augustus' success in rising to power was: Aquiring funds. Attracting veterans. Getting the soldiers of his opponents to join him. Making the right alliances Abandoning alliances at the right time. Handling the almost impossible administrative headaches of the Italian Peninsula with success. Launching propaganda wars. E.g. Octavian wasn't really an emperor, and Rome was still a Republic (on paper). Octavian had to painstakingly spend the rest of his life accumulating power within the current system. E.g. He had officials from various provinces in his pocket. He didn't have official control. Also, he still had to run for elections and have the senate vote on things. On paper, the Roman political engine still functioned the same as before Augustus. There was no redesign. Augustus merely manipulated every last drop out of what was still the Roman Republic.

Yes 😂😂

@@tylerdurden3722 Augustus had eveything in his pocket, the people, the senate and the army, the people and the army are a must, just like ceasar had, but for true stability, you also need the senate

What is the name of the music? The piano piece in the background. *I NEED IT*

@@dns911 Hard to say, but I guess (!) it is a Piano Piece which you can find on Epidemic Sound.

Order from Chaos

If only you had succeeded, mon empereur

Wish I could get the soundtrack too❤️❤️

Narrators are what make a documentary great

Martin Landh - Angel Song

@@daliborhlivak8372 Thank you

Octavian murdered Caesar's child. Not so sure about his character.