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Octavian takes the name Augustus

27 BCE, Rome (the Senate). An event.

Where and when

27 BCERome (the Senate)

2,052 years ago

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, Rome (the Senate)

The Senate gives Octavian the new name Augustus. He keeps the forms of the Republic but holds the power, and is counted as Rome's first emperor.

it was resolved that he should rather be called Augustus, a surname not only new, but of more dignity

Suetonius, Life of Augustus 7Translated by Alexander Thomson, revised by T. Forester (1889)Read the full passage (Suetonius, Life of Augustus 7, opens gutenberg.org)

Background: Augustus, Wikipedia (opens en.wikipedia.org)

Why it matters

Later Roman emperors inherited the honorific augustus, and it became their main title. The principate set up in his reign, with nominal deference to the Senate, lasted until the Crisis of the Third Century.

Based on Wikipedia: Augustus

Future Roman emperors inherited the honorific augustus, and it became their main title.

The principate, a style of government in which the emperor showed nominal deference to the Senate, was established during his reign and lasted until the Crisis of the Third Century.

Wikipedia, Augustus (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-09-25. Text CC BY-SA 4.0. Our line is checked against these sentences only.

Related moments

In time order, with this one in its place. Each says why it is here.

  1. 49 BCE22 years earlier Caesar puts the republic's dignity before life Also about democracy and government
  2. 44 BCE17 years earlier Caesar and the soothsayer, in Suetonius Also in Rome
  3. 44 BCE17 years earlier Caesar on the best death, as Plutarch tells it Also in Rome
  4. 44 BCE, written later17 years earlier Cicero on arms yielding to the toga Also about democracy and government
  5. 31 BCE4 years earlier Octavian's fleet beats Antony and Cleopatra at Actium Same years
  6. 30 BCE3 years earlier Antony and Cleopatra take their own lives Same years
  7. 30 BCE3 years earlier Antony's last words, as Plutarch tells it Same years
  8. 30 BCE3 years earlier Antony on his courage, per Plutarch Same years
  9. by 30 BCEabout 3 years earlier Plutarch on Cleopatra's many languages Same years
  10. 27 BCEThis momentOctavian takes the name Augustus
  11. c. 30–20 BCEDuring it Tacitus on how Augustus won power Also in Rome

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