Discover the Roman Empire: Top 10 Fun and Fascinating Facts about Augustus

1. Augustus: Calendar King

Fear not, oh ye citizens of February, for Augustus the calendar-king hath spared thee from further plunder: Contrary to popular belief, Augustus didn't snatch days from February to inflate August to a grand 31, but merely tweaked the calendar by fixing leap years and tweaking days in other months – although he did cheekily name August after himself, in true Julius 'July' Caesar fashion.
Source => mytpl.org

2. Name-Changing Rock Star

Caution: Name Changes Ahead - Don't Be Alarmed! Remember when your favorite rock star changed their name to something completely different, but still kept cranking out hits? Well, Augustus Caesar was way ahead of the curve: Instead of adopting the name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus after his adoptive father Julius Caesar's assassination, he went by "C. Octavius," and only embraced the Caesar name later when he had Rome wrapped around his little imperial finger.
Source => worldhistory.org

Did you know the iconic Caesar Salad wasn't created by Julius Caesar, nor did it originally contain anchovies? Discover the surprising truth about this popular dish's real origin and ingredients!

=> Fun Facts about Julius-Caesar

3. Rome's Master Builder

If Julius Caesar was famous for painting the town red, Augustus was the one who built it: the first Roman emperor embarked on a construction spree, giving rise to architectural marvels like the Temple of Caesar, the Forum of Augustus, the Ara Pacis, and the Mausoleum of Augustus, while also revolutionizing urban planning with new aqueducts and roads throughout the Roman Empire.
Source => web.ics.purdue.edu

4. Pimp My Buildings: Marble Edition

Back when Rome's Augustus was ruling the roost and had a strong marble fixation, the ancient city experienced its very own version of MTV's "Pimp My Ride," but with buildings: Augustus gave the impression of transforming Rome’s brick buildings to marble, not by redoing every structure, but by commissioning massive marble structures and adding marble-paved public spaces, creating a nifty optical illusion of a marble-ous transformation.
Source => idre.ucla.edu

5. Egyptian Obelisk Redecoration

In a monument-ous turn of events, Augustus unleashed his inner interior designer to bring about a sleek decor update from ancient Egypt straight to Rome's Campus Martius: A 30-meter tall Egyptian red granite obelisk from Heliopolis was repurposed as the centerpiece of the Solarium Augusti, casting its shadow on a fabulous marble pavement with gilded bronze lines to read the time of day based on the season while confidently making a statement in the world of Roman architectural fashion.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Ancient Roman Hype Man

Some say Augustus hired poets like they were ancient Roman hype men: Virgil spun bars in the Aeneid that hailed Augustus as the Roman Empire's VIP, while Horace switched teams from Julius Caesar's critic to Augustus' poetic propagandist. But poor Ovid, that satirical rapscallion, got ghosted and banished from Rome after poking fun at the emperor's stiff moral conduct.
Source => study.com

7. Real-Life Ancient Influencer

Dubbed the original "friend in Rome", for his talent in manipulating public opinion, Augustus was a real-life ancient influencer and the mastermind behind the world's first retweets in the form of stone-carved propaganda: As the first Roman Emperor, Augustus strategically employed media tactics to maintain power and ushered in the Pax Romana, a period of over 200 years of relative peace, alongside awe-inspiring building projects like the Forum of Augustus and the Temple of Mars Ultor that continue to captivate us today.
Source => redbubble.com

8. Merch King of Ancient Rome

If Ancient Rome had a gift shop, Augustus would be the merch king: during his rule, Roman coins evolved from vague Republican-style designs to full-on emperor adoration, embraced copper as a new coin material, and featured his image and tribunician power. Talk about a coin that's worth more than a pretty penny!
Source => forumancientcoins.com

9. Casanova of Caesars

They say third time's the charm, and for the Casanova of Caesars, Augustus, it seems to hold true: after two politically motivated marriages, he finally found true love with his third wife, Livia Drusilla, who was not only a brilliant advisor and confidant but also previously had two children of her own.
Source => worldhistory.org

10. Augustus' Comedic Curtain Call

Before "lights, camera, action!" even existed, Augustus had the showmanship of a film star in a historical blockbuster, executing his final scene with flair and perfect comic timing: As he neared the end of his life, he asked his friends to applaud his performance, comparing his mortal existence to a comedic play and inquiring, "Did I play my part well? Then applaud as I exit." This humorous departure was documented in Chris Scarre's "Chronicles of the Roman Emperors."
Source => lightnatureart.blogspot.com