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What were Augustus’ methods?

Mary Beard comments in a review of a modern biography of Augustus that not
enough evidence survives to write a modern biography of Augustus or indeed of any
Roman. There are simply too many gaps that have to be filled with inference or
guess-work. How precisely Augustus succeeded in creating the empire and making
himself emperor is rather mysterious but the main ways were:

1. He brought the Roman army under strict control, making himself commander-
in-chief. Before, ambitious Roman generals used the loyalty of their own

soldiers to bid for political power (like Julius Caesar). Now the army came
under Augustus..

2. He kept the soldiers loyal by promising them a generous pension and a farm
when they retired. This was very expensive (swallowing around half the tax
bill) and in the long term unaffordable.

3. He fought wars to expand the frontiers of the Roman empire and to gain the
respect of neighbouring states.

4. He used taxes, the spoils of war and his own personal income as emperor to
pay for gifts, food hand-outs, games and entertainments, building and
restoring temples and other buildings. In this way he built up popular support.

5. He was clever to refuse new powers and titles when offered to him, preferring

to use the powers and titles of the old Republic. In this way he persuaded
many Romans that his rule was not new, but a continuation of past traditions.

6. He used imagery, the first Roman ruler to do so. His face was everywhere, on
all the coins and statues (there are more statues of Augustus than any other
Roman). He even got a month named after him!

However some aspects of Augustus’ template are unclear:

Here are some of the gaps in the story of Augustus:

1. How far did he rely on fear and terror? As a young man he was said to have
blinded a political opponent with his bare hands. Mary Beard says, such a
reputation cannot have done his personal authority any harm. Is this how he
tamed the senate? Under the Republic these wealthy and ambitious politicians

had most of the power. Augustus kept them on but turned them into servants