24. AUGUSTUS (1) - 24 AUGUSTUS SETTLEMENT(1 270-272 HIS...

24. AUGUSTUS’ SETTLEMENT (1) 270-272
HIS POSITION IN THE STATE
• SOLUTION, WORKED OUT -27 TO -23, WAS TO MAINTAIN
THE EXTERNAL FORM OF THE REPUBLIC WHILE
RESERVING THE PRE-EMINENT POWER TO
HIMSELF.
Augustus’ name had religious connotations
• HIS PREFERRED TERM FOR HIMSELF WAS PRINCEPS ,
FROM PRIMUS ( ”FIRST”) AND CAPUT (“HEAD’). TERM
PREVIOUSLY USED FOR PRINCEPS SENATUS, ( “HEAD OF
THE SENATE”), USUALLY ITS MOST SENIOR MEMBER. THE
WORD IS THE SOURCE OF ENGLISH “PRINCE”).
• OCTAVAN HELD PROCONSULAR IMPERIUM (COMMAND).
UNLIKE PREVIOUSLY PROROGUED POWER (E.G. CAESAR
IN GAUL), THERE WAS NO TIME LIMIT ON HIS COMMAND,
AND HIS PROVINCIA (OLD SENSE) WAS MORE THAN ONE
PROVINCE (NEW SENSE). HE EXPLICITLY OUTRANKED
OTHER MAGISTRATES. COMMANDED ALL ARMIES.
PROVINCES UNDER HIS COMMAND WHICH HAD
STANDING ARMIES THROUGH LEGATI, WITH
PRAETORIAN RANK ( LEGATUS CAESARIS PRO
PRAETORE.)
• IMPERATOR. IN REPUBLIC, AN ARMY COULD
(SPONTANEOUSLY) SALUTE THEIR GENERAL AS
“IMPERATOR” (COMMANDER) FOR A PARTICULARLY
SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN, OFTEN LEADING TO A TRIUMPH.
• SUCH “SALUTATIONS” AS IMPERATOR BECAME LESS
SPONTANEOUS, SO THAT “IMPERATOR” BECAME PART OF

HIS NAME, USUALLY AT THE BEGINNING “ IMPERATOR C.
IULIUS CAESAR OCTAVIANUS.” HENCE THE MODERN
TERM “EMPEROR”
• AS A PATRICIAN. OCTAVIAN COULD NOT BE TRIBUNE, BUT
HE EXERCISED TRIBUNICIA POTESTAS (TRIBUNICIAN
POWER) , MAKING IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO PROPOSE OR
VETO LEGISLATION, ENTERTAIN APPEALS AGAINST
DECISIONS OF MAGISTRATES AND GOVERNORS. VOTED
ANNUALLY, THIS IS HOW HIS REIGN IS DATED. EMPEROR
BECAME MAJOR PART OF LEGAL STRUCTURE.
• SENATE CONTINUED TO EXIST, AND CONSULS AND
OTHER MAGISTRATES WERE ELECTED EVERY YEAR.
• OCTAVIAN PROMOTED SOME CANDIDATES FOR
MAGISTRACIES ( CANDIDATUS CAESARIS) , BUT THEY
WERE FEWER IN NUMBER THAN POSSIBLE POSITIONS
• TOOK OVER ROLE OF CENSORS TO EVALUATE
ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP IN SENATE, ETC.