Augustus In The Res Gestae

One of the overall points that Augustus makes certain he conveys in the Res Gestae is that above all of his accomplishments, he was cared for by the people of his empire. The first part of the document addresses his various accolades of which were awarded to him by the senate and other such organizations of power. When pointing out that the Res Gestae was the official recording and collection of Augustus’ life by the man himself, the extent of his want to be remembered in a positive light is revealed. Out of the entirety of the emperors’ many accomplishments he still felt the need to mention that “all the citizens, individually and on behalf of their towns, have unanimously and continuously offered prayers at all the pulvinaria for my health.” This statement stresses the favor presented to the emperor from the lowest ranking people of his society and nothing further. The inclusion of this report and others of a similar nature imply an air of uncertainty regarding the legacy he was to leave behind.

Not only did Augustus make sure that history remembered him as a loved emperor, he also emphasized the way he was viewed by neighboring civilizations. He addresses these interactions quite
It functions as an effective opener because it immediately explains how intelligent and credited the young emperor was. Within one sentence he encapsulates parts of his history that suggest he was predestined to become a respected authoritative figure of Rome. In many ways this testimony outlines the life story and accomplishments of someone who appears to be regarded as the ‘hero of Rome’. The way he expresses this concept is subtle, yet he is successful when if comes to delivering the