Deeds of the Divine Augustus

( 14 ) Commentary by Bradley A. Skeen, Ph.D.

“At the age of nineteen, on my own initiative and at my own expense, I raised an army by means of which I restored liberty to the republic, which had been oppressed by the tyranny of a faction.” - Section 1
“The dictatorship offered me by the people and the Roman Senate … I did not accept.” - Section 5
“Four times I aided the public treasury with my own money, paying out in this manner to those in charge of the treasury one hundred and fifty million sesterces.” - Section 17
“I rebuilt in the city eighty-two temples of the gods, omitting none which at that time stood in need of repair.” - Section 20
“I freed the sea from pirates.” - Section 25
“The Parthians I compelled to restore to me the spoils and standards of three Roman armies and to seek as suppliants the friendship of the Roman people.” - Section 29
“Embassies were often sent to me from the kings of India, a thing never seen before in the camp of any general of the Romans.” - Section 31
“When I had extinguished the flames of civil war, after receiving by universal consent the absolute control of affairs, I transferred the republic from my own control to the will of the senate and the Roman people. For this service on my part I was given the title of Augustus.” - Section 34
“The senate and the equestrian order and the entire Roman people gave me the title of Father of my Country.” - Section 35

Sculpture of Augustus (Yale Center for British Art)

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