The Twilight of Rome’s First Emperor
In the summer of 14 CE, the aging Augustus, Rome’s first emperor, embarked on what would become his final journey. At 76 years old and in declining health, he left Rome with his wife Livia, traveling south along the Via Appia to Naples. His purpose was twofold: to attend a youth athletic competition and to enjoy a seaside respite. Though physically frail, Augustus remained a dedicated spectator, never leaving the games early—a stark contrast to his adoptive father Julius Caesar, who had often multitasked during public events.
After the games, Augustus traveled to Benevento to bid farewell to his stepson Tiberius, who was departing to reorganize the provinces of Pannonia and Dalmatia. The emperor then returned to Naples, but his health abruptly worsened in the town of Nola. Tiberius was urgently recalled, and in a private meeting, the two men spoke at length—a conversation whose contents remain lost to history.
The Meticulous Preparations of a Dying Ruler
Augustus had long sensed his mortality. Earlier that year, he composed his Res Gestae Divi Augusti (The Deeds of the Divine Augustus), a carefully curated account of his reign. He also finalized his will, detailing succession plans, funeral instructions, and an exhaustive financial report on the empire’s military, taxes, and treasury reserves. His precision mirrored the administrative rigor that had defined his 41-year rule.
On August 19, 14 CE, Augustus died peacefully in Livia’s arms, just weeks shy of his 77th birthday. His body was transported back to Rome along the Via Appia, with knights carrying his gilded bier the final distance. The funeral, held in the Roman Forum, was deliberately austere—no military parades or foreign tributes, as per Augustus’s wishes. His ashes were interred in the Mausoleum of Augustus, and his Res Gestae was later inscribed on bronze tablets at the site.
The Will of an Empire-Builder
Augustus’s will revealed his characteristic pragmatism. Tiberius inherited two-thirds of his estate, while Livia received the remainder. Secondary heirs included Tiberius’s sons and Augustus’s grandsons. Yet the true inheritance was political: Tiberius assumed the imperial mantle, ensuring continuity.
Ever the populist, Augustus bequeathed 40 million sesterces to Rome’s citizens, with additional sums for soldiers, police, and local districts. He even allocated funds to legionary officers, though he apologized for delays in payment—a nod to his famed fiscal discipline. Notably, he barred his exiled daughter Julia and granddaughter from burial in his mausoleum, a final act of political control.
The Imperial Legacy: Order vs. Freedom
Posthumously deified as Divus Augustus, the emperor’s reign sparked centuries of debate. Historians like Edward Gibbon romanticized the Republic while decrying the Empire as decadent. Arnold Toynbee argued Augustus merely delayed Rome’s decline. Yet such critiques often overlook reality: the Republic had been an oligarchy, its “freedom” reserved for 600 senators. The Principate, by contrast, brought stability to 60 million subjects.
As historian F.E. Adcock noted, Augustus’s genius lay not in brilliance but in suitability—his system met Rome’s need for efficient governance. Even Tacitus, a Republican sympathizer, conceded that provinces thrived under imperial rule. The Pax Romana, enabled by centralized power, fostered trade, infrastructure, and cultural assimilation—a legacy epitomized by an incident days before Augustus’s death.
A Final Ode to the Emperor
As Augustus’s ship passed Puteoli, an Alexandrian merchant crew recognized him and erupted into spontaneous praise:
“Because of you, we live!”
“Because of you, we sail safely!”
“Because of you, we enjoy peace and liberty!”
Touched, Augustus gifted each sailor 40 aurei—on condition they invest in Egyptian goods, stimulating commerce. Even in his twilight, Rome’s first emperor remained a steward of prosperity, his vision of unity enduring for centuries. The Republic’s liberty was noble, but Augustus’s peace built an empire.