Octavian Essay, Research Paper

Augustus

Julius Caesar was assassinated by his colleagues due to treachery and fear of his rule, which led to a civil war. His death brought about a war between two strong political figures, Octavian, the step son of Julius Caesar and prot?g?, and Mark Antony, a once ally to Octavian. The two strong leaders of Rome came to conflict after the second triumvirate had spilt in two sections of Rome; Octavian controlled the west and Antony the east. The two had come to a conflict and another civil war was sparked. With Octavian as the victor and Antony in Egypt, the age of Rome as a Republic had ended forever. With Octavian in power, Rome flourished like it had never done before.

The reading, “Augustus, Res Gestae,” is about the accomplishments Octavian had written himself. These writings were well written in 3rd person form and were quite accurate to a point. The points Octavian makes our about himself, sort of a manifesto. In the reading he only tells of the good he has committed for Rome. He wrote this to have people remember what he has accomplished and hopes to have this remembered therefore engraving the writings into bronze. The bronze manifesto tells us about how he brought peace and prosperity to Rome and how he brought Egypt into the Roman empire and so on.

The article on the tablets was well placed because it was a page after the story of the “second triumvirate.” The manifesto sums up the “good” Octavian had brought to the Roman empire and was good at showing the basics of he had accomplished therefore the article was very informing for that chapter. If the article was placed elsewhere it would have been awkward do to the fact of how the 6th chapter opens up.

Octavian explains his good in a fashion that may be related to the president of the United States, Bill Clinton. On occasion when the President makes speeches, he will announce his victories and yet not announce his losses. His victories include peace in Ireland and the Kosovo conflict and his losses that include the Monica Lewinsky matter and the ongoing conflict in Iraq. Unlike Octavian, Bill Clinton did make a list of his accomplishments but rather mention them during speeches to the press. And in the case of Octavian, he would announce his accomplishments in writing because of the different types of media in those days. Rome was the superpower at the time like the United States is today and like the United States, Rome’s leader Octavian was beloved by all, like Bill Clinton is today.

The two men are both considered to be predominate figures in history, with the rise and fall of the Roman empire, and the rise of and peaking power of the United States, more comparisons are going to be made from the leaders. The leaders of two of the greatest countries will have one strong link; they both had leaders that were much liked by its people.