Augustus and the Praetorian Guard: Creating an Imperial Bodyguard

Augustus and the Mausoleum: The Emperor's Final Resting Place

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Mausoleum of Augustus, the massive tomb built by Rome's first emperor in the Campus Martius. Completed in 28 BCE, it was a dynastic statement—housing the ashes of Augustus, his family, and later emperors like Tiberius and Claudius. The structure, originally covered in earth and cypress trees, was over 40 meters in diameter. Lucas explains its design influences from Etruscan tumuli and Hellenistic mausolea, its role in Augustan propaganda, and its later history, including medieval use as a fortress and a bullfighting ring. The hosts also discuss the recent restoration and how the mausoleum reflects Augustus's vision of a new Roman dynasty. The episode touches on the Res Gestae, the bronze pillars with Augustus's achievements placed at the entrance, and the contrast between the public nature of the tomb and the private dynastic ambitions it served. #MausoleumOfAugustus #CampusMartius #Augustus #RomanArchitecture #JulioClaudianDynasty #Tiberius #Claudius #ResGestae #EtruscanTumulus #HellenisticMausoleum #RomanFuneraryCustoms #PaxRomana #AugustanPropaganda #RomanEmperors #AncientRome #RomanHistory #FexingoHistory #History Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Augustus and the Roman Grain Supply: Feeding an Imperial City

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Augustus secured the grain supply for Rome, transforming the cura annonae into an imperial responsibility. They discuss the role of the praefectus annonae, the rebuilding of the Porticus Minucia as the grain distribution hub, the use of the Egyptian fleet under the prefect of Egypt, and the Claudian harbor at Ostia. The episode also touches on the lex Julia de annona, the alimenta program's roots, and how managing hunger was key to Augustan power. #Augustus #CuraAnnonae #RomanGrainSupply #PraefectusAnnonae #PorticusMinucia #EgyptianFleet #Ostia #ClaudianHarbor #LexJuliaDeAnnona #Alimenta #RomanFamine #GaiusSallustiusCrispus #PaxRomana #ResGestae #RomanHistory #FexingoHistory #AncientEconomy #ImperialPower Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Augustus and the Ara Pacis: Altar of Augustan Peace

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Ara Pacis Augustae, the Altar of Augustan Peace, commissioned by the Roman Senate in 13 BCE to honor Augustus's return from Spain and Gaul. They walk through the altar's intricate reliefs, decoding the imperial family's procession, the mythological scenes of Aeneas and Romulus, and the lush fertility imagery that proclaimed a new golden age. Learn how the Ara Pacis served as a visual manifesto of Augustan ideology—linking peace to dynastic succession, Roman piety, and the prosperity of the empire. Discover the controversies: who is the veiled figure in the procession? Was the altar originally painted? How did it survive centuries of neglect and flooding? And why did Mussolini reconstruct it in the 20th century? This episode offers a close reading of a monument that still stands as a symbol of the Pax Romana. #AraPacis #Augustus #PaxRomana #RomanArt #AltarOfPeace #AugustanIdeology #RomanSculpture #Aeneas #Romulus #Tellus #Livia #Agrippa #JuliaTheElder #CampusMartius #Mussolini #AncientRome #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Augustus and the Urban Cohorts: Policing Rome

In this episode of Augustus Caesar: The First Emperor of Rome, Lucas and Luna explore the creation of Rome's first unified police force: the Urban Cohorts (cohortes urbanae). Established by Augustus in 13 CE, these three elite units under the command of the Praefectus Urbi (city prefect) patrolled Rome's streets, maintained order at public events, and acted as a counterbalance to the increasingly powerful Praetorian Guard. The conversation delves into the cohorts' size, equipment, and daily duties—ranging from fire prevention to crowd control—and highlights their role in the infamous Varian Disaster aftermath and the reign of Tiberius. Listeners will learn about the key figures: the first city prefect, Lucius Calpurnius Piso, and the later prefect Lucius Volusius Saturninus, who served for decades. The episode also touches on the legal framework of the urban cohorts, including their jurisdiction over public order and their relationship with the vigiles and the Praetorians. A nuanced look at how Augustus balanced security, public safety, and imperial control in the heart of his capital. #Augustus #UrbanCohorts #CohortesUrbanae #PraefectusUrbi #LuciusCalpurniusPiso #LuciusVolusiusSaturninus #PraetorianGuard #Vigiles #AncientRome #RomanHistory #PaxRomana #RomanEmpire #PoliceHistory #PublicOrder #Tiberius #VarianDisaster #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Augustus and the Roman Navy: From Actium to Imperial Fleet

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Augustus's transformation of the Roman navy from a force of civil war into a permanent imperial institution. They discuss the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, where Octavian's fleet under Agrippa defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra, the establishment of the classis Misenensis and classis Ravennas as the two main praetorian fleets, and the roles of harbors like Portus Julius and Misenum. The episode covers the social status of naval crews, the difference between legionaries and sailors, the decline of piracy after Pompey's campaigns, and how Augustus used the navy to secure grain shipments, patrol the Mediterranean, and project power along the Rhine and Danube. The hosts also touch on the later use of the fleet by emperors like Claudius and the evidence of naval infrastructure at Ostia and Puteoli. #Augustus #RomanNavy #BattleOfActium #Agrippa #ClassisMisenensis #ClassisRavennensis #PortusJulius #Misenum #RomanFleet #PaxRomana #Ostia #Puteoli #GrainSupply #Piracy #Rhine #Danube #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]