History RE-Summarized: The Age of Augustus

Many Romans had conquered the Republic, but nobody could keep it, until Augustus. In the half century after the assassination of Caesar, his adoptive son would fundamentally transform the Roman state: expanding it, reforming it, and bringing it under the control of one man. The Age of Augustus found Rome a Republic and left it an Empire.

This video is a Remastered, Definitive Edition of three previous videos from this channel — History Summarized: "Augustus Versus The Assassins", "Augustus Versus Antony", and "How Augustus Made An Empire". This video combines them all into one narrative, fully upgrading all of the visuals and audio.
If you want more Histories to be Re-Summarized, please comment and let me know!

SOURCES & Further Reading: "The Age of Augustus" by Werner Eck, "Augustus and the Creation of the Roman Empire" by Ronald Mellor, "Cleopatra: A Life" by Stacy Schiff, Virgil's "Aeneid", Polybius' "Histories", Livy's "Ab Urbe Condita", Plutarch's "Parallel Lives", "SPQR" by Mary Beard, "Rome: A History in Seven Sackings" by Matt Kneale, (and also my degree in Classical Studies).

SECTION TIME-CODES:
0:00​ 1 — Octavian V. the Assassins
07:40​ 2 — Octavian V. Antony
17:36​ 3 — Augustus as Emperor

Our content is intended for teenage audiences and up.

[lordalphamax]

Conspirators: We have the support of the People of Rome!
People of Rome: No, you don't.

[archangeljegiudiel]

Agrippa is literally that one teammate you play with because you don't even know the button layout and he ends up squad wiping people while you're still figuring out how to shoot...

[katelynkickbutt]

"Caesar's corpse was still sitting there squidgy like" well that was a development

[Obi-Wan_Kenobi]

Would you say that Augustus brought peace, freedom, justice, and security to his new Empire?

[Big_E_Soul_Fragment]

Brutus and Cassius: *We did it Cassius, we saved the Republic!*

[DaveBath]

Bit harsh on Lepidus who died aged 76 of not-being-murdered. Which is pretty damned impressive for someone who got that close to the centre of power and didn't win the game by killing everyone else. Even sweet-talked them into letting his wife off after she'd been treasonous. So he must have (a) been pretty smooth, (b) actually loved his wife enough not to want to trade her in for a younger model, (c) not been so much of a power-hungry egomaniac that he was able to step back and just chill at home. So really, Lepidus the Triumvir is terribly under-rated. After all, there were 6 triumvirs and only 2 died of old age. And only one of them actually got to enjoy a normal retirement: Lepidus.

[pyrrhusofepirus]

Octavian is easily one of my favourite historical characters, he’s machiavellianism made manifest, ruthless, brutal, very intelligent, cunning, crafty, unscrupulous, politically adept yet never drunk on his own power and seemingly always in control of the game, which is made kinda scarier by his age and that he was previously known as just some sickly young momma’s boy.

He’s the absolute PERFECT Assassin’s Creed antagonist.

[Obi-Wan_Kenobi]

This entire video is an exercise in the Senate asking "My Lord, is this legal?" and Darth Octavious answering "I WILL MAKE IT LEGAL."

[herebejamz]

You know, we kinda joke that Cleopatra had magic mind control boobs, but this woman clearly knew how to get men to do things. She's raw charisma.

[williambenson]

Octavian: “I will end you.”
Antony: “I will end you.”
Lepidus: “I will—“
Octavian & Antony: “Shut up, Lepidus!”
Lepidus: “Yes, sirs…"

[dieterdiepaprika]

0:00 - 0:04 me and they boys starting out group presentation we prepared 30 minutes ago

[alphastark]

I’m currently making a DnD campaign based in a Roman Empire like world right after Augustus’ reign so this is perfect timing. Like I got 4ish weeks in prep now so this is literally the best.

[mikotagayuna]

"I am offensive and I find this Italian."
- Octavian

[kostg]

octavian when he hears ceasars death and reads his will:ITS GO TIME

[Suomismg]

You say that Lepidus got the bad deal, but his ability to watch paint dry is legendary to this day.

In my opinion, better fate than what Markus Antonius got.

[kaisercorn]

Agrippa didn't dig Lake Avernus, he just built a canal connecting it the sea. Still an impressive feat for the time, but he didn't dig a whole ass lake.

[melanc]

Brutus: We slain the beast!
Citizens of Rome: *What beast? Wait- Where’s Caesar?*

[secondman]

"his wife's... let's say, eyes"
this line. this line right here

[jjohansen]

There's the old quote, "Victorious warriors win first and then go to war; defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win. Actium being anti-climactic is actually a recommendation for Agrippa and Octavian, they did all the work in advance and made the victory a sure (and boring) thing.

[fablion]

can we talk about the ultimate bro-move Caesar did with his will by awarding all roman citizens two months wages?







Edit: (I’m well aware roman citizens back then meant ritch politicians. I just wanted to be funny _-_)

edit to edit: (idk politics like this is hard)