How far was Octavian's rise to power achieved through violence?

How far was Octavian's rise to power achieved through violence?

There were many factors that contributed to Octavian's rise to power. Caesar’s death was an important event that helped the rise of Octavian. This is because it created uncertainty through out the people, without a leader could lead to chaos. Octavian, being Caesar's adopted son, was the only possible next in line. Octavian possessed no doubts in eliminating those who stood in his way on the path to power and joined with Lepidus and Antony to generate a "plan for a proscription, yet once this had been decided upon he carried it out more ruthlessly than either of them”. “Augustus alone demanded that no one be spared”. This is such shocking disrespect for those close to Octavian merely demonstrates his absolute commitment to his goal of achieving power and stature. Nothing could stand in his way. The proscription even went so far as to target those who had done no wrong but have writing tablets under their robe, "suspected that he had a sword", “Augustus himself tore out his eyes and sentenced him to death”.
Not only was Octavian willing to sacrifice his friends and family in the pursuit of power, he even went so far as to eliminate individuals merely for the sake of getting money as well as those of his own armies and others who expected repayment for services to the Triumvirate.
His actions made him no better than a common murderer, yet by the time Octavian came to be Augustus, no one opposed him. Despite his barbaric nature, Octavian's actions in a large part contributed to the success of his eventual rise to power by allowing him to remove anyone and everyone who may have deterred him. Octavian used intimidation and the threat of violence to persuade people to follow him. He gained the support of the senate with his army outside the doors. Those who opposed him were promised death.
Another leading factor in Octavian's rise to power was his army, which he had already built one at the age of nineteen. With a large private army at his command, there was little Octavian could not do, especially since by the end of his conflict with Antony he was the only one in Rome to have such a force.
Octavian's cunning use of propaganda to promote himself while getting rid of his enemies also played an important part in his successful rise to power. Octavian used his name and his link to Julius Caesar to amplify his self-image. Octavian chose this to reassure his connection to Caesar not as his “grand-nephew”, but as his son. Since Caesar was subsequently declared a god, Octavian enjoyed a high position as the son of a “god” given that he was Caesar's rightful heir. Octavian also used propaganda against his enemies in order to justify his own cause.
In his conflict against Mark Antony, Octavian transformed what was truly a civil war into a foreign war by emphasizing Antony's anti-Roman connections to the Egyptians and his marriage to the foreign queen Cleopatra.
The removal of the opposition was also a good way that Octavian used to rise to power, this was accomplished by the defeat of Sextus Pompey.
Another important influence to his rise to power was the defeat of Marks Antony's fleet at Actium in 31 BC. By capturing Antony's fleet Octavian secured his ruling in the west as well as in the east. By sparing the lives of rival forces, Octavian gains their support. This is one of the few moments when Octavian doesn’t use violence to achieve a rise in power. Octavian also sometimes bribed the soldiers with gifts so that they will have their loyalty to him instead of the state of Rome. These gifts were cunning and used as a political tactic, worked to gain support.
Octavian initially built his alliance by gaining support of plebs and equites with gifts. He worked from top to bottom pleasing those who were more important first. His soldiers were paid gifts and money in order to insure their allegiance to him. The people received food and gifts.
These factors helped Octavian rise to power and remain there for many years.