Gregory Aldrete

Yeah. So once the empire begins, let's say 27 BC. So in 31 BC, Octavian defeats Antony at the Battle of Actium. So that's kind of the moment he becomes the sole ruler. And then in 27 BC, a couple of years later, he settles the Roman Republic, as it's referred to, which basically sets up his system. And in this system, on the surface, it all looks the same. And You still have a Senate.

Yeah. So once the empire begins, let's say 27 BC. So in 31 BC, Octavian defeats Antony at the Battle of Actium. So that's kind of the moment he becomes the sole ruler. And then in 27 BC, a couple of years later, he settles the Roman Republic, as it's referred to, which basically sets up his system. And in this system, on the surface, it all looks the same. And You still have a Senate.

Yeah. So once the empire begins, let's say 27 BC. So in 31 BC, Octavian defeats Antony at the Battle of Actium. So that's kind of the moment he becomes the sole ruler. And then in 27 BC, a couple of years later, he settles the Roman Republic, as it's referred to, which basically sets up his system. And in this system, on the surface, it all looks the same. And You still have a Senate.

Each year, there's elections. All the Roman citizens vote. They elect magistrates who notionally are in charge of Rome. But as I mentioned, off to the side, you now have this figure of Augustus who sort of controls everything behind the scenes. And that continues. So this political system he establishes continues. And in reality— I would say Augustus at that point is again a king.

Each year, there's elections. All the Roman citizens vote. They elect magistrates who notionally are in charge of Rome. But as I mentioned, off to the side, you now have this figure of Augustus who sort of controls everything behind the scenes. And that continues. So this political system he establishes continues. And in reality— I would say Augustus at that point is again a king.

Each year, there's elections. All the Roman citizens vote. They elect magistrates who notionally are in charge of Rome. But as I mentioned, off to the side, you now have this figure of Augustus who sort of controls everything behind the scenes. And that continues. So this political system he establishes continues. And in reality— I would say Augustus at that point is again a king.

It really is one man controlling the state, even if notionally it's still continuing as a republic. They are electing magistrates, but the magistrates only do what the emperor tells them, right? But it's this sort of formal versus informal power. The formal structure is a republic. The way things really work informally is it's a monarchy, right? Now, if you asked Augustus, what did he do?

It really is one man controlling the state, even if notionally it's still continuing as a republic. They are electing magistrates, but the magistrates only do what the emperor tells them, right? But it's this sort of formal versus informal power. The formal structure is a republic. The way things really work informally is it's a monarchy, right? Now, if you asked Augustus, what did he do?

It really is one man controlling the state, even if notionally it's still continuing as a republic. They are electing magistrates, but the magistrates only do what the emperor tells them, right? But it's this sort of formal versus informal power. The formal structure is a republic. The way things really work informally is it's a monarchy, right? Now, if you asked Augustus, what did he do?

Did you become a king? He said, and he says this explicitly, no, no, no. What I did is I refounded the Roman Republic. That's how he phrases it. Yeah, this guy is good at framing. He's so good at propaganda. I'll give you one more example that I love. Augustus actually writes his own autobiography, which is very rare and survives.

Did you become a king? He said, and he says this explicitly, no, no, no. What I did is I refounded the Roman Republic. That's how he phrases it. Yeah, this guy is good at framing. He's so good at propaganda. I'll give you one more example that I love. Augustus actually writes his own autobiography, which is very rare and survives.

Did you become a king? He said, and he says this explicitly, no, no, no. What I did is I refounded the Roman Republic. That's how he phrases it. Yeah, this guy is good at framing. He's so good at propaganda. I'll give you one more example that I love. Augustus actually writes his own autobiography, which is very rare and survives.

So here we have the autobiography of one of the pivotal figures in history. And if you had conquered the world, let's say, starting at the age of 18, what would you call your autobiography? It'd be something like, you know, how I conquered the world, right? Augustus calls his the res gestae, which the best sort of literal translation is stuff I did.

So here we have the autobiography of one of the pivotal figures in history. And if you had conquered the world, let's say, starting at the age of 18, what would you call your autobiography? It'd be something like, you know, how I conquered the world, right? Augustus calls his the res gestae, which the best sort of literal translation is stuff I did.

So here we have the autobiography of one of the pivotal figures in history. And if you had conquered the world, let's say, starting at the age of 18, what would you call your autobiography? It'd be something like, you know, how I conquered the world, right? Augustus calls his the res gestae, which the best sort of literal translation is stuff I did.

I mean, it's the most modest title for someone who could have given the most grandiose title. And the first line of it is, at the age of 18, when the liberty of the republic was oppressed by a faction, I defended it. Now, the way I might phrase that sentence is, at the age of 18, I fought a civil war against another Roman and conquered the Roman state.

I mean, it's the most modest title for someone who could have given the most grandiose title. And the first line of it is, at the age of 18, when the liberty of the republic was oppressed by a faction, I defended it. Now, the way I might phrase that sentence is, at the age of 18, I fought a civil war against another Roman and conquered the Roman state.

I mean, it's the most modest title for someone who could have given the most grandiose title. And the first line of it is, at the age of 18, when the liberty of the republic was oppressed by a faction, I defended it. Now, the way I might phrase that sentence is, at the age of 18, I fought a civil war against another Roman and conquered the Roman state.

But no, he defended the liberty of the republic when it was oppressed by the tyranny of a faction. That's propaganda. And it works. It is propaganda.

But no, he defended the liberty of the republic when it was oppressed by the tyranny of a faction. That's propaganda. And it works. It is propaganda.