CLA231H1 Lecture 19: Lecture 19 Augustus and Principate
Document Summary
After augustus returned from the east in the civil war, he formally handed power back to the people, relinquishing his irregular power from the triumvirate. Signalled a return to the normal republic, but the transfer came with some strings attached. Octavian kept command of spain, gaul, egypt, syria, cilicia and cyprus. 10 comprehensive commands, much like pompey"s commands; provinces that required military activity, the most dangerous provinces. Therefore able to keep control of almost all the legions, since he needed them in his provinces to keep them safe. His control of the legions was the linchpin of his control. Other senators would control safe or stable provinces (greece or africa) which did not require legions so that they could not march on rome or attack augustus. They became civil offices, not military ones for the governors. Octavian allowed this to happen under normal procedure "sort of"
