Augustus

The first emperor of Rome. He become emperor after the assassination of Julius Caesar. His real name was Octavius Thurinus. After Caesar's assassination, Octavius joined a coalition with Caesar's old allies, Marcus Antony and Marcus Lepidus, to defeat Caesar's assassins, Marcus Brutus and Cassius Longinus. Octavius and Antony were rivals, however, and the coalition became unstable, leading to many battles. Antony eventually committed suicide. Octavius fired Lepidus and changed his name to Augustus. Augustus also gave himself the title "Principate" meaning "First Citizen."

Augustus the emperor wanted to create a stable empire. He sent legions to expand towards the Danube River. But three legions were destroyed near the Elbe Rivder, which stopped Roman expansion into Germania. Augustus created a private bodyguard and secret police for the emperors. He commissioned many building projects, claiming to have turned Rome from a city of bricks to marble.

As Augustus got old, he planned to leave his empire to his two grandsons, Lucius Caesar and Gaius Caesar But both died. Thus, his general, Tiberius, became his successor.