The passage from the republican form of government to the Empire, in Pomegranate, occurred through violent struggles for power. after the general's death Julio Cesar, in 44 BC a., the disputes by the power were restarted.
Caesar's loyal Roman army officers fought to defend the legacy of the great Roman general, most notably Marcus Antony, Caesar's lieutenant; Otávio, nephew of Caesar; and Lepidus, head of the order of knights and one of the highlights in the fight against the Roman senators. The three, after defeating their opponents, formed the Second Triumvirate.
Triumvirate is a system of government in which power is shared by three people. In the Second Triumvirate, Marco Antonio led the administration of east of the Roman domains, otavio, the administration of the Western, and lepid assumed the role of Pontiff Maximus.
But the unity among the three triumvirs did not last long. The struggle for power led Otávio to remove Lepidus, putting an end to the Second Triumvirate and concentrating his forces against Marco Antônio.
Mark Antony was getting closer and closer to the Orient, coming to despise Roman traditions. He allied himself politically and personally with the Cleopatra, pharaoh of Egypt, passing to her several Roman possessions.
On 31st. C., in the Naval Battle of Actium, Octavius defeated Marcus Antony, who was abandoned by his troops, and occupied Egypt. The following year, Mark Antony committed suicide in Alexandria.
Otávio began to accumulate several titles: Princeps senatus, the first of senators and citizens; that of life tribune of the plebs; that of Pater patriae, the father of the country, the first person to receive such a title; the Pontifex maximus, the high priest; the of Augustus, which guaranteed it a religious, divine connotation; and the one of Imperator, the supreme commander of the army.
With this accumulation of power, he became Otávio Augusto, the first emperor of the Roman Empire, ushering in a new era in Roman civilization.
By Tales Pinto
Master in History
