Augustus
Augustus was born Gaius Octavius into an old and wealthy equestrian branch of the plebeian gens Octavia. His maternal great-uncle Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC. He was named in Caesar’s will as his adopted son and heir. Augustus rejected monarchical titles, and instead called himself Princeps Civitatis. He dramatically enlarged the Empire, annexing Egypt, Dalmatia, Pannonia, Noricum, and...
