The Creation of the Roman Empire

44 B.C.E.–284 C.E.

The civil wars sparked by the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.E. may have marked the death of the Roman republic, but they also signaled the birth of the Roman Empire. Through masterful political and military maneuvering, Caesar’s heir Octavian (63 B.C.E.–14 C.E.) emerged from the wars as Rome’s undisputed leader. In recognition of this fact, in 27 C.E., the Senate granted him special powers and a new title, Augustus (“divinely favored”). He thereupon forged a new system of government that laid the foundations for two hundred years of peace and prosperity. The documents in this chapter bring the empire to life from a variety of perspectives—from Virgil’s epic poem praising the glory of Rome to everyday people living under Roman rule. The final two documents cast light on the Roman religious landscape; inevitably it, too, would be swept up in currents of change as a new religion, Christianity, emerged to compete with traditional beliefs and practices.