timeline of events and sources for imperial image:

44BC:

• March 15th - assassination of Julius Caesar.

• May - Octavian in Rome and meets with Mark Antony.

• Julius Caesar’s comet appears during the games in honour of Venus - interpreted as sign of JC’s deification.

43 BC: political events:

• The senate declares war against Antony.

• April 21st - Octavian fight alongside consuls, Hurtius and Pansa against Antony at the battle of Munda.

• August 19th - Octavian becomes consul following the deaths of Hurtius and Pansa.

• November 27th - the Lex Titia is passed, which legitimised the second triumvirates campaign of proscriptions begins.

43 BC: Cultural events:

• The orator and senator Cicero delivers a series of speeches against Antony known as the Phillipics.

• Some of these speeches champion Octavian as an ally of the republic.

43 BC: prescribed sources:

• Aureus - obv. barehead of Octavian / Rev: head of JC.

42 BC: political events

• January 1st - Julius Caesar proclaimed a God.

• October 23rd - Octavian and Antony avenge Julius Caesar’s assassins at battle of Phillipi.

• 2nd Triumvirate seize land across Italy to give to their war veterans.

• November 16th - Tiberius’ birth.

42 BC: Cultural events:

• Octavian orders the temple of the divine Iulus to be built in Roman forum.

• Octavian vows to build a temple to Mars Ultor.

41 BC: political events:

• Octavian meets Cleopatra and Tarsus.

• Octavian fights the Perusine war against Mark Antony’s brother (lucius Antonius) and wife (Fulvia)

41 BC: cultural events:

• Propertius writes Elegies 1.22 which bemoans the destructive effect of the Perusine war on his home town. (not prescribed)

40 BC: political events:

• Treaty of Brundisium signed between the triumvirs.

• Octavian given the western empire to govern, Antony given eastern, Lepidus given African provinces.

• Octavian orders death of 300 senators and equites who allied with Lucius and Fulvia in Perusine war.

• Antony marries Octavian’s sister, Octavia.

39 BC: political events:

• The second triumvirate make a pact with Sextus Pompey to end his blockade of Rome’s grain supply.

• October 30th - Julia the elder born to Octavian and Scribonia.

• Octavian marries Scribonia, divorces her and marries Livia.

38 BC: political events:

• Octavian begins war against Sextus Pompeius.

38 BC: cultural events:

• Virgil publishes Eclogues.

• The fourth books contains famous passage which refers to a blessed child/messiah that will bring about a golden age (unprescribed)

37 BC: political events:

• Antony marries Cleopatra.

36 BC: Political events:

• Octavian and Agrippa lead an invasion of Sicily against Pompey.

• Lepidus attempts to take over Sicily , but Octavian convinces Lepidus’ men to mutiny 

• Lepidus stripped of his powers as a Triumvir

35 BC: Political events:

• Octavian campaigns in Dalmatia

34 BC: Political events:

• Antony celebrates a triumph in Alexandria (Egypt) known as the “Donations of Alexandria” 

33 BC: Political events:

• Octavian takes the consulship for the second time 

• Antony attempts to declare Cleopatras son Caesarion (the alleged son of Julius Caesar) as Julius Caesars official heir

32BC: Political events:

• Octavian seizes Antonys will from the temple of Vesta and reads it to the Senate 

• The Senate declares war against Cleopatra , electing Octavian as the leader of the war effort 

32 BC: prescribed sources:

• Work on Mausoleum begins.

• Pax denarius.

31 BC: political events:

• Octavian takes the consulship for the third time 

• Sept 2^nd – Battle of Actium 

31 BC: prescribed sources

• Head of livia.

30 BC: political events:

• Octavian takes the consulship for the forth time 

• Octavian invades Egypt 

• August 1^st – Antonys death 

• August 12^th – Cleopatras death 

• Octavian orders Caesarian and Antonys eldest son by Cleopatra to be killed. The rest of Antony and Cleopatras children are taken to Rome and cared for by Octavia 

30 BC: prescribed sources

• Horace epode 9

• Kalabsha gate relief.

29 BC: political events:

• Octavian takes the consulship for the fifth time 

• August 13- 15 – Octavian celebrates three consecutive triumphs (triple triumph)  

29 BC: Cultural events:

• Arch of Augustus built to commemorate his triple triumph (NOT prescribed) 

28 BC: Political events:

• Octavian takes the consulship for the sixth time. Agrippas second consulship 

 

• Octavian carries out a census of the Senate 

28 BC: Cultural events:

• Octavian opens the temple of Apollo Palatinus,next to his home on the Palatine Hill in Rome  

28 BC; Prescribed sources:

• Seated scroll aureus.

27 BC: political events:

• Octavian takes the consulship for the seventh time 

• Agrippas third consulship 

• January 16^th  - The First Settlement which included 

 

• The laws and rights of the Roman people restored 

 

• The Senate confers the name “Augustus” on Octavian 

 

• Augustus given control over Spain, Gaul, Syria and Egypt as well as imperium for 10 years 

 

• The Senate dedicates the clipeium virutis to commemorate Augustus’ virtues (ie shield containing the latin virtues) 

 

• Augustus on campaign in Gaul 

26 BC: Political events:

Augustus’ 8th consulship

25BC: political events:

• Augustus’ 9th consulship.

• Julia the elder marries Marcellus.

• Augustus returns from campaign and closes gates of temple of janus.

24BC: political events:

• Augustus’ 10th consulship

23 BC: Political events:

Augustus takes the consulship for the eleventh time 

Augustus falls ill and nearly dies 

 

The “second Settlement” 

-Augustus lays down the consulship to allow other noblemen the chance to hold the highest office in the land 

-Augustus awarded Tribunician powers and maius imperium , two powers which gave him authority and influence, despite not being consul 

 

Marcellus the son of Octavia dies

23 BC: prescribed sources:

• Propertius 3.11

• Horace odes 1.37

• Horace odes 3.6

• Horace odes 3.14

22 BC: political events:

• Rioting breaks out, which prompts the Senate to offer Augustus the dictatorship. He refuses 

21 BC - political events

• Augustus forces Agrippa to divorce his wife and marry Julia the Elder 

20 BC: Political events:

Peace negotiated between the Roman and Parthain Empires 

 

Augustus travels to Greece  

 

Birth of Gaius 

20 BC: political events:

• Prima porta commissioned.

• Construction of forum of augustus begins

• propertius elegess 3.4

• propertius elegies 3.12

19 BC: Political events:

• Birth of Julia the Younger 

   

  Agrippa campaigns in Spain 

   
  Augustus’ return from the East is celebrated with the dedication of a new altar of Fortuna Redux 

   

  The Third Settlement 

  -The Senate vote Augustus consular imperium for life 

  This gives him the right to wear the consuls insignia in public ,regardless of whether or not he held the consulship at that time 

19 BC: cultural events:

• death of virgil

19 BC: prescribed sources:

• Eight rayed comet denarius.

18 BC: political events:

• The first Leges Iulie (social /morilty laws) passed regulating adultery and marriage as well as electoral fraud 

17 bc: political events:

Birth of Lucius 

 

Augustus adopts his grandsons ,Gaius and Lucius 

 

May 31 – June 3 – The Secular Games are celebrated, heralding the beginning of a new age 

17 BC: prescribed sources:

• Horace - Carmen Saecularae.

16 BC: Cultural events:

• Actian games celebrated at Nikopolis.

16 BC: prescribed sources:

• Propertius 4.6

15 BC: cultural events

• Aeneid published

13 BC: Political events

-Tiberius takes the consulship for the first time 

13 BC: Prescribed sources

• Work on Ara Pacis begins

• Horace odes 4.15

• Horace odes 4.4

12 BC: Political events:

Death of Agrippa 

 
Death of Lepidus 

 

Augustus elected Pontifex Maximus 

12 BC: prescribed sources:

• Sacrifical implements denarius

11 BC: Political events:

Tiberius campaigns in Pannonia and Dalmatia 

 

Tiberius forced to divorce his wife Vipsania so that he can marry Julia the Elder,Agrippas widow 

9 BC: Cultural events

• Theatre of Marcellus opens to the public 

9 BC: Prescribed sources:

• Dedication of Ara pacis

8 BC: political events

The Sixth month,Sextilis, renamed “August” in honour of Augustus 

 

Tiberius campaigns in Germany 

8 BC: Cultural events

death of Maecenas

7 BC: Political events:

• Tiberius’ 2nd consulship

5 BC; Political events:

• The Senate declares Gaius and Lucius Princeps Iuventatus (first among the young) 

4 BC: prescribed sources

• Gaius and Lucius Aureus

2 BC: political events:

• Augustus takes the consulship for the thirteenth time 

   

  Augustus declared Pater Patriae (father of the state) 

   
  Julia the Elder sent into exile 

2 BC: prescribed sources

• Forum of augustus opened

• Temple of Mars ultor dedicated

1 AD: political events:

• Gaius takes consulship for the first time.

2 AD: Political events

• August 20th - death of lucius.

4 AD: political events:

• April 23^rd – Death of Gaius  

   

  Augustus adopts Tiberius 

8 AD: political events:

• Julia the younger sent into exile

8 AD: Prescribed sources:

• Ovid metamorphosis published

9 AD: Political events:

• Agrippa Postumus sent into exile 

   

  The general Varus suffers a catastrophic defeat in Germany , resulting in the massacre of 3 legions 

   

  The Lex Papia Poppeia introduces further regulations on marriage 

12 AD: political events

Tiberius given maius imperium 

14 AD: Political events:

• August 19th - death of augustus.

20 AD: Prescribed sources

• Sebasteion

121 AD: Prescribed sources:

• Suetonius twelve caesars.