What writings and other primary sources form the foundation of our understanding of Gaius Octavian Cesar? Later Augustus Julius Cesar, first Princeps of Rome.

by HouseMormont

Specifically sources about Octavian, when he was young, before the civil war and before or during his initial rise to power, as opposed to him as the first emperor.

  • What is the first mentioning of Octavian of the Julii in ancient Roman writing?
  • How do we know his family and extended family, and how do we know his relation to Gaius Julius Cesar?
  • What sources show us that it was Octavian who received Julius Cesar's wealth?
  • What sources confirm his first official titles and duties?
blamethegnomes

I can't answer all of this but a good starting point would be Suetonius' Twelve Caesars - Julius and Octavian are the first two covered and although he was writing at least 100 years later, Suetonius covers a lot of their lives.

There's also the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, which was basically a huge wall Augustus had built before his death. On it, he inscribed his life story and it was a huge propaganda tool listing every title he ever held along with a lot of other stuff 🙂