The Accomplishments of Augustus (Res Gestae Divi Augusti)

(Translated and edited by Paul Swarney 2003)

CIL, Vol. III, pp. 769-99 (= Ehrenburg-Jones, pp. 1-31)¹

Before his death Augustus deposited with the Vestal Virgins a number of documents. In one of these Suetonius says that he set forth "an account of his res gestae, which he wished to be inscribed on two bronze pillars to be set up before his mausoleum"(Augustus 101). The Res Gestae is preserved in an almost complete copy with a Greek translation, inscribed on the walls of the temple of Roma and Augustus at Ancyra (Ankara), in the province of Galatia (whence it is commonly called the Monumentum Ancyranum); sections of the Greek and Latin texts have also been found in Apollonia and Antioch in Pisidia. The reader may wish to ask why such an inscription should be erected so far from Rome and by whom and for whom. This translation is from the Latin text.

Attached copy of accomplishments of divus Augutus, by which he attached circle of lands to imperium of Roman people, and of expenses he incurred with respect to res publica and Roman people, as engraved on two bronze pillars, which are set up at Rome-

1. At age nineteen on my advice and my expense I collected an army through which I brought into freedom a res publica oppressed by dominatio of a faction. Because of this claim Senate with honorific decrees enrolled me in its order when C. Pansa and A. Hirtius were consuls, granting me consular rank in speaking my opinion, and gave me imperium. It ordered, with me as propraetor along with consuls, to provide that res publica come to no harm. People then made me consul when each consul had fallen in battle, and triumvir for fixing res publica.

2. Those who murdered my parent I drove into exile with legal judgements having avenged their crime, and later I twice defeated them in battle as they made war against res publica.

3. I waged foreign and civil wars many times on land and sea on the whole circle of earth, and as victor spared all citizens asking for pardon. Foreign peoples who could safely be pardoned I preferred to preserve rather than eliminate. About five hundred thousand Roman citizens were under oath (sacramentum) to me. From among these, when their service ended, I conducted into coloniae or sent back to their towns somewhat more than three hundred thousand, and to all these I assigned lands or gave money as rewards for military service. I captured six hundred ships, excluding those of smaller class than triremes.

4. Twice I celebrated ovations, three times curule triumphs, and was acclaimed imperator twenty-one times. When Senate decided on additional triumphs to me, I declined them all. I deposited on Capitolium laurel wreaths on my fasces, after fulfilling vows which I had made in each war. For successes achieved on land and at sea by me or through my legati under my auspices Senate decreed fifty-five times that thanksgiving be offered to gods immortal. The number of days then on which, by senatus consultum, such thanksgiving was offered, was DCCCLXXXX. In my triumphs there were led before my chariot nine kings or children of kings. When I wrote this, I had been consul thirteen times, and I was in the thirty-seventh year of tribunicia postestas.

5. Dictatorship offered to me, when M. Marcellus and L. Arruntius were consuls, by people and by Senate, both in my absence and in my presence, I did not accept. Amid scarcity of grain I did not decline supervision of grain supply, which I so managed that within few days I freed the whole community from panic and danger by my expenditures and concern. Consulship, too, which was then offered to me as an annual and continual office, I did not accept.

6. When M. Vinicius and Q. Lucretius were consuls, and P. Lentulus and Cn. Lentulus, and a third time when Paullus Fabius Maximus and Q. Tubero were consuls, though Senate and Roman people acting together agreed that I should be elected guardian of laws and morals with highest authority, I did not accept any office offered me which was contrary to traditions of our ancestors. Measures which Senate desired at that time to be taken by me I carried through tribunicia potestas. In this potestas I five times requested and was given a colleague by Senate.

7. I was one of three men (triumviri) for fixing res publica for ten consecutive years. I have been princeps Senatus for forty years, up to the day on which I wrote this.. I have been pontifex maximus, augur, member of the college of fifteen for performing sacrifices, member of the college of seven for conducting religious banquets, Arval Brother, Titius sodalis, and fetialis.

8. In my fifth consulship I increased the number of patricians, by order of people and Senate. Three times I selected senate. And in my sixth consulship, with M. Agrippa as my colleague, I did a census of people. I performed lustrum forty two years after (the last.) At this lustrum four million and sixty-three thousand Roman citizens were recorded. Then again, acting alone, by virtue of consular power, I completed a census in consulship of C. Censorinus and C. Asinius. At this lustrum four million two hundred and twenty three thousand Roman citizens were recorded. And a third time I completed a census in consulship of Sex. Pompeius and Sex. Appuleius, through consular imperium and with my son Ti. Caesar as my colleague. At this lustrum four million nine hundred and thirty seven Roman citizens were counted. By new laws which I sponsored I restored many practices of our ancestors which were falling into disuse in our time; and I myself handed down precedents in many areas for posterity to imitate.

9. Senate decreed that vows for my health should be offered up every fifth year by consuls and priests. In fulfilment of these vows, games were often celebrated while I lived, sometimes by the four most distinguished colleges of priests, sometimes by consuls. Moreover, the whole citizen body, with one accord, both individually and as members of municipalities, prayed continuously for my health at all shrines.

10. My name was included, by Senatus consultum, in the song of Salian priests. And it was santioned by law that I should be sacrosanct continually and that I should have tribunicia postestas while I live. I declined to become pontifex maximus in place of a colleague while he was alive, when people offered me that priesthood, which my father had held. Some years later, when P. Sulpicius and C. Valgius were consuls, I accepted this priesthood, when death removed the man who had taken it on occasion of civil disturbance; and from all Italy multitudes flowed to my election such as had never occurred before that time.

11. To commemorate my return from Syria, Senate consecrated an altar to Fortuna Home-bringer before the temple of Honor and Virtus at Porta Capena, on which altar it decreed that pontiffs and Vestal Virgins should make a yearly sacrifice on the anniversary of the day, when Q. Lucretius and M. Vinicius were consuls, on which I returned to the city from Syria, and it called that day Augustalia from my cognomen.

12. On this occasion, by senatus consultum, a portion of praetors and tribunes of plebs, together with consul Q. Lucretius and principes, was sent to Campania to meet me, an honour which up to this time has been decreed to no one but myself. When I returned to Rome from Spain and Gaul when Ti. Nero and P. Quintilius were consuls, after successfully settling affairs of those provinces, Senate, to commemorate my return, ordered that an ara pacis Augustae be consecrated in Campus Martius, in which it decreed that magistrates, priests, and Vestal Virgins should make an annual sacrifice.

13. Janus Quirinus, which our ancestors wanted closed whenever peace with victory was established on sea and land throughout the entire imperium of Roman people, and which before I was born is related to have been closed only twice since the founding of the city, three times Senate with me as princeps ordered closed.

14. My sons Gaius and Lucius Caesar, whom fortuna took from me in their youth, were, in my honour, made consuls designate by Senate and Roman people when they were fifteen years old, with permission to enter that magistracy after five years. Senate further decreed that from the day on which they were conducted into Forum they should attend public debates. Moreover, Roman equites unanimously presented each of them with silver shields and spears. and saluted each as princeps iuventutis.

15. To Roman plebians I counted HS(= sesterces) three hundred apiece from my father’s will; and in my fifth consulship I gave each HS four hundred in my name out of spoils of war; and again in my tenth consulship I counted out of my patrimonium gifts of HS four hundred man by man; in my eleventh consulship I made twelve distributions of food out of grain purchased at my expense; and in the twelfth year of my tribunicia potestas for a third time I gave four hundred man by man. These largesses of mine reached never less than two hundred and fifty thousands persons. In the eighteenth year of my tribunicia potestas and my XIIth consulship I gave sixty denarii to each of three hundred and twenty thousands urban plebians man by man. And I gave as consul a fifth time one thousand apiece to my soldiers settled in coloniae. About one hundred and twenty thousand received this in coloniae on occasion of my triumph. As consul for the thirteenth time I gave sixty denarii apiece to those of the plebs who at that time were receiving public grain; the number involved was a little more than two hundred thousand persons.

16. I released money to towns for lands which I assigned to my soldiers in my fourth consulship, and afterwards when M. Crassus and Cn. Lentulus Augur were consuls. The sums were about six hundred million sesterces which I counted for Italian lands and about two hundred and sixty million, which I released for provincial lands. I was the first and only one to take such action of all those who up to my time conducted coloniae of soldiers in Italy or in provinces. And afterwards, when Ti. Nero and Cn. Piso were consuls, and again C. Antistius and D. Laelius, and then when C. Calvisius and L. Passienus, and L. Lentulus and M. Messalla, and L. Caninius and Q. Fabricius were con(suls), I released bonuses counted in cash to soldiers whom after their service I conducted back to their towns; and for this I spent about HS four hundred million.

17. Four times I helped aerarium with my money, transferring to those in charge of aerarium one hundred and fifty million sesterces. And when M. Lepidus and L. Arruntius were cos., I transferred out of my patrimonium HS one hundred and seventy million to soldiers' bonus fund, which was established on my advice from which bonuses might be granted soldiers who had earned it after twenty or more years of service.

18. From the year in which Cn. Lentulus and P. Lentulus were consuls, whenever provincial taxes fell short, sometimes for one hundred thousand persons and sometimes for many more, I gave out tribute in grain and in money from my grain stores and my patrimonium.

19. I built Senate house and Chalcidicum adjoining it; the temple of Apollo on Palatine with its porticoes; the temple of divus Iulius; the Lupercal; the portico at Circus Flaminius, which I allowed to be called Octavia after the name of the man who had built an earlier portico on the same site; the couch at Circus Maximus; the temples of Jupiter Smiter and Jupiter Thunderer on Capitoline; the temple of Quirinus; the temples of Minerva and Queen Juno and of Jupiter Freedom on Aventine; the temple of Lares at the head of the Sacred Way; the temple of Penates on the Velia; the temple of Youth and the temple of Great Mother on Palatine.

20. I remade Capitolium and the theatre of Pompey with enormous expenditures on both works, without having my name inscribed on them. I repaired conduits of aqueducts which were falling into ruin in many places because of age, and I doubled the capacity of the aqueduct called Marcia with a new spring admitted into its conduit. I completed the Julian Forum and the basilica which was between the temple of Castor and the temple of Saturn, works begun and far advanced by my father, and when the same basilica was destroyed by fire, I enlarged its site and began rebuilding the structure, which is to be inscribed with the names of my sons; and in case it should not be completed while I am still alive, I left instructions that the work be completed by my heirs. As consul for a sixth time I repaired eighty-two temples of gods in the city, on auctoritas of Senate, neglecting none which at that time required repair. As consul a seventh time I reconstructed the Via Flaminia from the city as far as Ariminum, and also all bridges except the Mulvian and Minucian.

21. On my private land I built the temple of Mars Ultor and the Augustan Forum from spoils. On ground bought for the most part from private owners I built the theatre adjoining the temple of Apollo which was to be inscribed with the name of my son-in-law M. Marcellus. On Capitolium, in the temple of divus Iulius, in the temple of Apollo, in the temple of Vesta, and in the temple of Mars Ultor I consecrated gifts from spoils which cost about HS one million. As consul a fifth time I remitted to towns and coloniae of Italy thirty five thousand pounds of crown gold which they were collecting in honour of my triumphs; and afterwards, whenever I was acclaimed imperator, I did not accept crown gold, though towns and coloniae decreed it with the same enthusiasm as before.

22. I gave gladiatorial shows three times in my name, and five times in my sons’ or grandsons’ name; at these shows about ten thousand fought. Twice I presented to people in my name an exhibition of athletes invited from all parts of the world, and a third time in my grandson’s name. I presented games in my name four times, and in addition twenty-three times in place of other magistrates. On behalf of the college of XV, as magister of that college, with M. Agrippa as my colleague, I celebrated Secular Games when C. Furnius and C. Silanus were cos. As consul forthe thirteenth time I was first to celebrate Games of Mars, which subsequently consuls, by decree of Senate and by law, have regularly celebrated in succeeding years. Twenty-six times I provided for people, in my name or my sons’ or grandsons’ name, hunting spectacles of African beasts in circus or in Forum or in amphitheatres; in these exhibitions about three thousand five hundred beasts were killed.

23. I presented to people an exhibition of a naval battle across Tiber where Caesars’ grove now is, having had the site excavated eighteen hundred feet in length and twelve hundred feet in width. In this exhibition thirty beaked ships, triremes or biremes, and in addition many smaller vessels engaged in combat. On board these fleets, exclusive of rowers, were about three thousand combatants.

24. As victor I replaced in the temples of all communities of the province of Asia ornaments which he with whom I waged war had seized for his private use after despoiling the temples. About XXC silver statues of myself, on foot, on horseback, or in a chariot, stood in the city; these I myself removed, and out of money there from I set up golden offerings in the temple of Apollo in my name and in the names of those who had honoured me with statues.

25. I achieved peace at sea over brigands. In that war I turned over to masters for punishment nearly thirty thousand slaves who had run away from their owners and taken up arms against res publica. All Italy of its own accord swore allegiance to me and demanded me as leader in the war in which I won at Actium. Similar words were sworn by provinces of Gauls, Spains, Africa, Sicily, and Sardinia. More than DCC senators served at that time under my standards; of that number LXXXIII became consuls and about CLXX priests, either before that date or subsequently, up to the day on which this was written.

26. I extended limits of all provinces of Roman people on whose boundaries were peoples not subject to our imperium. I restored peace to Gallic and Spanish provinces and likewise to Germania, that is to the entire region bounded by Ocean from Gades to the mouth of the Elbe River. I caused peace to be restored in the Alps, from the region nearest to the Adriatic Sea as far as the Tuscan Sea, without undeservedly making war against any people. My fleet sailed Ocean from Rhine’s mouth eastward as far as boundaries of Cimbrians, to which no Roman previously had penetrated either by land or by sea. Cimbrians, Charydes, Semnones, and other German peoples of the same region through envoys sought my friendship and that of Roman people. At my command and under my auspices two armies were led almost at the same time into Ethiopia and into Arabia which is called Eudaemon; and very large forces of enemy belonging to both peoples were killed in battle, and many towns were captured In Ethiopia advancement was made up to the town of Napata, which is next to Meroe; in Arabia the army advanced into borders of Sabaeans toward the town of Mariba.

27. I added Egypt to imperium of Roman people. Although I might have made Greater Armenia a province when its king Artaxes was murdered, I preferred, following the precedent of our ancestors, to hand over this kingdom, acting through Ti. Nero, who was then my stepson, to Tigranes, son of King Artavasdes and grandson of King Tigranes. And afterwards, when this same people revolted and rebelled, after I subdued it through my son Gaius, I handed it over to the rule of King Ariobarzanes, son of Artabazus, king of the Medes, and after his death to his son Artavasdes. When the latter was killed, I sent to the kingdom Tigranes, who rose from Armenian royal stock. I recovered all provinces extending beyond the Adriatic Sea eastward; Cyrenae, which was for the most part already in the possession of kings; and before this Sicily and Sardinia, which had been seized in slave war.

28. I established coloniae of soldiers in Africa, Sicily, Macedonia, in both Spanish provinces, in Achaea, Asia, Syria, Narbonese Gaul, and Pisidia. Italy, moreover, has XXVIII coloniae established by me, which in my lifetime have grown to be famous and populous.

29. A number of military standards lost by other leaders I recovered, after conquering enemy, from Spain, Gaul, and Dalmatians. Parthians I compelled to restore to me spoils and standards of three Roman armies and to seek friendship of Roman people as suppliants. The standards, moreover, I deposited in the inner shrine of the temple of Mars Ultor.

30. Through Ti. Nero, who was then my stepson and legatus, I conquered and subjected to imperium of Roman people Pannonian people, to which prior to me as princeps no army of Roman people had ever approached; and I extended borders of Illyricum to River Danube’s bank. An army of Dacians which had crossed over to this side was conquered and destroyed under my auspices, and later on, my army crossed Danube and compelled Dacian people to submit to orders of Roman people.

31. Legations of kings out of India, never previously seen with any leader of Romans, were often sent to me. Our amicitia was sought through legati by Bastarnians and Scythians and by kings of Sarmatians, who live on both sides of River Don, and by kings of Albanians and of Iberians and of Medes.

32. To me as suppliants have fled kings of Parthians Tiridates and afterwards Phraates son of King Phraates; of Medes, Artavasdes; of Adiabenians, Artaxares; of Britons, Dumnobellaunus and Tincommius; of Sugumbrians, Maelo, and of Marcomannian Suebians, Segimerus[?]. King of Parthians, Phraates son of Orodes, sent to me in Italy all his sons and grandsons, not as one conquered in war, but as one seeking our amicitia through pledge of his children. With me as princeps many others experienced fides of Roman people, peoples with whom previously there had existed no exchange of legations and amicitia.

33. Peoples among Parthians and Medes, through legati who were principes of these peoples, received from me kings for whom they asked: Parthians, Vonones King Phraates’ son, King Orodes grandson; Medes, King Artavasdes’ son, King Ariobarzanes’ grandson.

34. In my sixth and seventh consulships, after I had extinguished civil wars, having become powerful over affairs by universal consent, I transferred res publica from my potestas to the will of Senate and Roman people. For this service of mine I was called Augustus by senatus consultum, and doorposts of my buildings were publicly decked with laurels, the civic crown was set over my doorway, and a golden shield was set up in the Julian Senate house, which, as witnessed by this shield’s inscription, Senate and Roman people gave me in recognition of my virtus, clementia, iustitia, and pietas. After that time I excelled all in auctoritas, but I had no more potestas than the others who were my colleagues in any magistracy.

35. When I held my thirteenth consulship, Senate, equestrian order, and the entire Roman people called me "father of country [pater patriae]" and decided that this should be inscribed in the vestibule of my house, in the Julian Senate house, and in the Augustan Forum on the pedestal of the chariot which was set up in my honour by senatus consultum. When I wrote this I was in my seventy-sixth year.

¹ The Latin and Greek for the res gestae may be found in a number of places. The label given here, CIL, Vol. III, pp. 769-99 (= Ehrenburg-Jones, pp. 1-31), refers to the great corpus of Latin inscriptions, Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum and then to the very nice collection of Documents Illustrating the Reigns of Augustus and Tiberius by V. Ehrenberg and A.H.M. Jones.