The Rise of the Empire

Rome Becomes an Empire After defeating Caesar’s assassins these 3 men created… One side is led by the men who killed him The Other side is led by three men; Caesar’s grandnephew Octavian ,Antony, and Lepidus Caesar’s death plunged Rome into another Civil War

The Second Triumvirate Octavian took west in Rome Antony took east in Rome Octavian forced Lepidus to retire from politics

The Drama…(even back then) Octavian and Mark Antony came into conflict Mark Antony fell in love with Cleopatra VII of Egypt and formed an alliance with her (Caesar’s Ex…) Octavian told the Romans that Mark Antony (with Cleopatra) planned to make himself the sole ruler of the republic Alarm spread among the Romans and enabled Octavian to declare war on Antony

Battle of Actium In 31 B.C off the west coast of Greece, Octavian crushed the army and navy of Antony and Cleopatra The couple then fled to Egypt A year later as Octavian closed in on them, Cleopatra and Mark Antony killed themselves

The Roman Empire Octavian now stood on top of the Roman world , alone at age 32 Period of civil wars were over---but so was the republic He lay the foundation for a new system of government

Octavian becomes Augustus Octavian knew that many people, including Cicero, Rome’s greatest public speaker (his ideas influenced the writers of the United States Constitution) favored a republican form of government In 27 B.C. Octavian appeared to do just that. He gave power back to Senate, seemly putting them in control. However, he gave himself the title, Imperator or commander-in-chief, and kept control of the army. In time Imperator came to mean emperor. Octavian takes the name, Augustus, “the revered or majestic one” and becomes Caesar Augustus, first emperor of the new Roman Empire. 