Augustus

Hello! My name is Augustus, and I was the very first emperor of Rome. But I wasn't always called Augustus. When I was born on September 23rd, 63 BCE, my name was Gaius Octavius. I grew up in a famous family. My great-uncle was one of the most famous Romans of all, Julius Caesar! He was a great general and leader, and I learned so much from him.

When I was just 18 years old, something very sad happened in the year 44 BCE. My great-uncle Julius Caesar was killed. After he was gone, his will was read, and I found out something surprising. He had adopted me as his son. This meant that I was his heir, and my name was changed to Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. Most people just called me Octavian. Suddenly, I had a very important job to do for the people of Rome. Even though I was young, I knew I had to be brave and help lead them.

Rome had been through many years of fighting, and the people were tired of all the wars. I wanted to bring peace back to our lands. I worked with other leaders, like a man named Mark Antony, but sometimes we did not agree on what to do. After a long time, our disagreements led to one final, huge battle at sea in 31 BCE. It was called the Battle of Actium. My side won the battle, which ended the last of the big wars. Finally, Rome could have peace.

The people of Rome were so happy that the fighting was finally over. In the year 27 BCE, the Roman Senate, which was a group that helped rule the city, gave me a special new name to honor me. They called me Augustus, which means 'respected one.' That is when I became the first Roman emperor. My leadership started a wonderful time of quiet and safety that lasted for over 200 years. This time was called the 'Pax Romana,' which means Roman Peace. During my rule, I also helped make Rome a beautiful city. I once said I 'found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.'

I ruled for a very long time, more than 40 years, helping the Roman Empire grow strong and peaceful. I lived to be 75 years old, and my long life ended on August 19th, 14 CE. Today, people remember me for ending the years of war and starting the Pax Romana. I helped build the Roman Empire into one of the greatest civilizations the world has ever known, and many of the roads, buildings, and ideas from my time are still studied today.