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The Accomplishments of
Augustus (Res Gestae Divi Augusti) (Translated and edited by
Paul Swarney 2006) 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 27. I added 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 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. |