Who Is Augustus In The Res Gestae

The Res Gestae does a poor job describing how Augustus came into power in his twenties and does not mention even once Augustus shortcomings or war crimes. The Res Gestae focuses instead on describing and exalting Augustus merits and successes. Augustus portrays himself as merciful, generous and virtuous in the Res Gestae and that is evidently how he wanted to be remembered. However just because he portraits himself as the savior of the poor and as an extraordinary man he gives himself to much merit and it is doubtful that he achieved everything he claims he did by himself or by honest means. Even though Augustus did not have much experience in either Roman politics or warfare he rapidly finds solutions. Augustus definitely outsmarts everyone else and claims his way to the top very rapidly which exemplifies how power hungry and even
Surprisingly Caesar assassination made the public masses very angry which Augustus took advantage of and used his adopted named Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus to gained supporters to avenge Caesar. At age nineteen he became consul by pressuring the Senate with his army after liberating the state from a “despotic faction” (Agustus, p. 58). He also rapidly asks Antony and Lepidus to join him to avenge Caesar which worked very much to his advantage and the three of them form the second triumvirate. This arrangement works perfectly for Octavius because he gained the support of two influential and skillful man in warfare and consequently the Senate could not dispose of him easily because of this alliance. However, as soon as Augustus acquires more influence and war glory can he gets rids and humiliates both Antony and Lepidus’s. Augustus used proscription lists to eliminate opposition and usurps many lands from the rich and provincials to settle his war veterans which it is not mention in Res