- "The beginnings of all things are small. But in the end, I will raise a city of marble where once were bricks."
Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (23 September 63 BC – 19 August 14 AD), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor, reigning from 27 BC until his death. Consolidating autocratic authority while maintaining an outward facade of Republican rule, he conducted a massive expansion of the empire, establishing the Pax Romana, and founded institutions like the imperial cult and the Praetorian Guard. He is a leader in Civilization VII.
Intro[]
First among equals, Augustus Caesar claims his right. You, who never call yourself Emperor, are revered by your people as a god. The world now is disorder; you will give it form. The world is leaderless; you will provide it direction. Set the laurels on your head and issue your commands - lead your people to glory, and your name will become synonymous with rule.
In-Game[]
Augustus has the Cultural and Expansionist attributes. His default colors are purple and yellow.
His leader ability is Imperium Maius. It grants +2 
Production in the 
Capital for every 
Town. He can purchase Culture Buildings in Towns, and gains +50% 
Gold towards purchasing Buildings in Towns.
His agenda is Restitutor Orbis. His Relationship increases by a Medium Amount for each 
City (excluding the Capital) in other players' empires, and decreases by a Medium Amount for each Town.
Strategy[]
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Lines[]
Augustus is voiced by Gianmarco Ceconi. He speaks Classical Latin.
| Line | Quote (English translation) | Quote (Classical Latin) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quote | The beginnings of all things are small. But in the end, I will raise a city of marble where once were bricks. | Principium omnium parum. Sed tandem aedificabo marmoream urbem ubi ante lateres. | This aligns with the famous quote attributed to Augustus, Marmoream relinquo, quam latericiam accepi ("I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble."). |
| Greeting | I am Octavian, Augustus Caesar, a simple first citizen. And emperor of the world. | Ego Octavianus Augustus Caser humilis primus civis et princeps orbis terrarum. | The phrase "first citizen" as referenced here is the literal translation of the official title of the Roman emperor, hence why princeps (meaning "citizen") came to mean "emperor." Both meanings of the word are used here. |
| Attacked | Come, break your swords on our walls. | Veni! Gladia vostra nostro muro frangite! | |
| Declares War | The die is cast. | Alea iacta est. | |
| Accepts Player's Deal | I will it. | Hoc flagitum. | |
| Rejects Player's Deal | I forge my own path here. (lit. "Now, I, in every way, am the maker of my fortune.") | Nunc faber sum meae quisque fortunae. | This is a variation on a Latin proverb, Faber est suae quisque fortunae ("Every man is the maker of his own fortune."). The usage of quisque ("whosoever, each/every") seems irregular. |
| Defeated | Have I played the part well? Then, I exit. | An fabulam recte egi? Inde exeo. | This line is said to be his last words on his deathbed, Acta est fabula, plaudite (usually translated as "The play is over, applaud," or "Have I played the part well? Then applaud as I exit.").[1] |
Leader Path[]
| Level | Unlocks |
|---|---|
| 2 |  Corona Civica
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| 3 | Cultural Attribute Node
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| 4 | Exploration Cultural Legacy Card |
| Exploration Expansionist Legacy Card | |
| 5 |  Breastplate |
| 6 | Augustus Badge 1
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Augustus Banner
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| 7 | Expansionist Attribute Node
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| 8 | Modern Cultural Legacy Card |
| Modern Expansionist Legacy Card | |
| 9 |  Clipeus Virtutis
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| 10 | Augustus Badge 2
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First Citizen
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Civilopedia entry[]
Where to begin with Caesar Augustus, about whom massive volumes of text have been written, and to whom nearly every subsequent “great leader” west of the Indus River has aspired to be? He was Caesar from 27 BCE until 14 CE, and epitomized Rome at its height. Conceivably, he was less bold and more methodical than his great-uncle and adoptive father, Julius Caesar. However, Augustus arguably accomplished more.
Octavian, Augustus’ non-imperial name, was born into a knight’s family (eques). However, he had links to royalty, related to Julius Caesar by blood; his mother was Caesar’s niece (though Julius Caesar himself was not from the highest ranks of Roman nobility). When Octavian was a child, his father died and his mother remarried a man who was less than attentive. Octavian grew into a quiet, thoughtful, pragmatic young man. Still, he sought power and made several attempts to get closer to his famous uncle. He tried to sail to the front lines of a war that Julius Caesar was waging in Spain and was shipwrecked, yet managed to make his way through hostile territory to the front.
This adventure greatly impressed the emperor. Caesar took a liking to the young man and quickly named him as his successor and adoptive son. Precisely why Caesar did this is open for speculation. Caesar's contemporaries, and many modern scholars, have suggested the boy was Caesar’s lover, something common in Rome, but a detail that may have opened Caesar to criticism and accusations of irrational decisions based upon lust.
The rest of the story is famous. Julius Caesar, returning in triumph from a war in Europe, was commanded to stop before he marched the army to Rome. Fed up with the arrogance and incompetence in the senate (and their formal inquiries into his finances), Caesar made no secret about his own imperial ambitions. Jokes and rumors about Caesar as an emperor abounded in Rome, and when Caesar appeared to be coming back in triumph, the senate demanded he disband his army. Fearing his imprisonment, he refused and a war ensued. Upon Caesar’s victory, he was eventually declared dictator and embarked on a series of reforms. In the end, his enemies (and friends) in the senate murdered him.
What followed was a massive civil war. The common people were outraged, and Caesar’s assassins fled to Greece. Caesar’s heirs and friends sought to avenge him: Marc Antony, Caesar’s cavalry commander Lepidus…and Octavian. Octavian proved a more appealing figure than Antony to the common people, as Antony initially granted amnesty to Caesar’s assassins. Furthermore, Octavian had allies in the senate who remembered and rejected Antony’s pretenses to power as well as his dismissal of Octavian’s familial ties and special relationship with Caesar.
Even after Caesar's assassins were murdered, the political situation remained fraught. Octavian had married Antony’s wife’s daughter, but now he spurned her, so she fled to Antony seeking revenge. The three heirs split the Empire between them – Antony in the East, Octavian in the West, and Lepidus in Africa. While Antony retained supporters, his affair with, and idolization of, Cleopatra cost him allies in Rome. When Octavian opened Antony’s sealed will, revealing that he planned to divide the empire amongst his children, Antony’s fate was sealed. After a defeat, Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. In the wake of their deaths, Octavian remained the sole ruler of Rome.
Nevertheless, Octavian was cautious and ensured that his power plays were legitimated by a senate that was slowly falling under his sway. In 27 BCE, Octavian changed his name to Augustus. Another name he chose for himself was “victorious commander”: Imperator. With this title came victories: solidified control over Hispania, the Balkans, and Judea, though he also suffered a major defeat in Germany. Much of Augustus’ power as an individual came from taking personal control over the most lucrative territories – for instance, Egypt belonged to him, not Rome. The profits from that immensely wealthy area flowed into his accounts, as they would for his successors.
Augustus died in 14 CE, possibly succumbing to his constant ill-health, or possibly murdered by Livia, his wife. The latter is a popular theory, but most historians believe her to be innocent. His last words were “Have I played the part well? Then applaud as I exit.”
Plato writes that democracies always degenerate into tyranny. The legacy of Augustus and Julius Caesar might confirm this. While Augustus was not the bold adventurer his great-uncle was, he manipulated the reins of power in Rome. He was intelligent, patient, and built the foundations of a civilization that became an inspiration to nearly all others in Europe. While Julius Caesar – hero of the army and spurner of the senate – might inspire coup leaders worldwide, Augustus inspired emperors… and game designers. In his wake, Rome entered centuries of peace, the Pax Romana.
Trivia[]
- Augustus's leader ability is an expression that described the greatest form of authority in the Roman Empire, while his agenda is a title given to Aurelian after ending the Crisis of the Third Century, meaning "restorer of the world".
- Augustus was one of the first four leaders that were officially confirmed for Civilization VII during playtesting, along with Hatshepsut, Amina, and Ashoka, World Renouncer.
- Augustus's voice artist, Gianmarco Ceconi, also voiced Trajan in Civilization VI.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Augustus promo card (Civ7).jpg (533 KB)")
.jpg "Civ Paths - From Rome (Civ7).jpg (761 KB)")
.png "Augustus three-quarter length (Civ7).png (709 KB)")
Videos[]
First Look- Augustus - Civilization VII
First Look: Augustus
Related achievements[]
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Roman of the Hour.
Win the modern age as Augustus.
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References[]
See also[]
- Augustus (Caesar) in other games