Augustus said he upheld the republican tradition, Tacitus says Aug. undermine re

Question:The republican tradition stresses patriotism, civic duty, moderation, and balanced government. In "Deeds of the Divine Augustus" and "The Transition from Republic to Principate: Tacitus", both Augustus and Tacitus lay claim to this tradition. Augustus, in "Deeds of the Divine Augustus," suggests that he upholds and protects the republican tradition; Tacitus contends that Augustus' actions undermine repulicanism. Who is right and why?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: The republican tradition stresses patriotism, civic duty, moderation, and balanced government. In "Deeds of the Divine Augustus" and "The Transition from Republic to Principate: Tacitus", both Augustus and Tacitus lay claim to this tradition. Augustus, in "Deeds of the Divine Augustus," suggests that he upholds and protects the republican tradition; Tacitus contends that Augustus' actions undermine repulicanism. Who is right and why?

Who would you believe between a politician and a historian?

Augustus was the first emperor of Rome and his control of a large number of the legions meant that he could effectively control the Senate.

I would suggest that Tacitus was the correct view. When Rome actually was a republic, the Senate elected the consul to be the leader. Augustus removed this process and installed his own family dynasty in power.

That's not to say that Augustus' reign was bad - this was the time of Pax Romana after all - but it wasn't a republic by any stretch of the imagination.

Augustus established a hereditary monarchy with republican trimmings. He was the first of the emperors, not a republican.

Tacitus is of course correct. Augustus wanted people to believe that he was restoring the Republic, but he really only kept a republican facade going for PR reasons. The "Deeds of the Divine Augustus" was nothing more than imperial PR.