Augustus

== Early life ==
{{Main|Early life of Augustus}}
He was born  in Rome on 23 September 63&nbsp;BC. His paternal family was from the [[Volsci]]an town of [[Velletri]], approximately {{Convert|40|km|mi}} south-east of the city.{{sfn|Suetonius|loc=''Augustus'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#5 5–6]}}<ref>Day and month according to the [[Roman calendar]], see Suetonius (1914), [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#note:Augustus_birthday §5, footnote a]</ref> He was born at Ox Head, a small property on the [[Palatine Hill]], very close to the [[Roman Forum]]. In his childhood, he received the cognomen "Thurinus", possibly commemorating [[Gaius Octavius (father of Augustus)|his father's]] victory at [[Thurii]] over a rebellious band of [[Slavery in ancient Rome|slaves]] which occurred a few years after his birth.{{sfn|Suetonius|loc=''Augustus'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#7 7]}} [[Suetonius]] wrote: "There are many indications that the Octavian family was in days of old a distinguished one at Velitrae; for not only was a street in the most frequented part of town long ago called Octavius, but an altar was shown there besides, consecrated by an Octavius. This man was leader in a war with a neighbouring town ..."{{Sfn|Suetonius|loc=''Augustus'' 1}}

Due to the crowded nature of Rome at the time, Octavian was taken to his father's home village at Velletri to be raised. Octavian mentions his father's [[Equites|equestrian]] family only briefly in his memoirs. His paternal great-grandfather [[Gaius Octavius (tribune 216 BC)|Octavian]] was a [[military tribune]] in Sicily during the [[Second Punic War]]. His grandfather had served in several local political offices. His father, also named Octavian, had been [[Roman governor|governor]] of [[Macedonia (Roman province)|Macedonia]]. His mother, [[Atia (mother of Augustus)|Atia]], was the niece of Julius Caesar.{{sfn|Suetonius|loc=''Augustus'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#1 1–4]}}{{Sfn|Rowell|1962|page=14}}

[[File:RSC 0022 - transparent background.png|thumb|300px|left|A [[denarius]] from 44 BC, showing [[Julius Caesar]] on the obverse and the goddess [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]] on the reverse of the coin. Caption: CAESAR IMP. M. / L. AEMILIVS BVCA]]
His father died in 59&nbsp;BC when Octavian was four years old.{{Sfn|Chisholm|Ferguson|1981|page=23}} His mother married a former governor of Syria, [[Lucius Marcius Philippus (consul 56 BC)|Lucius Marcius Philippus]].{{sfn|Suetonius|loc=''Augustus''  [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#4 4–8]}}{{sfn|Nicolaus of Damascus|loc=3}} Philippus claimed descent from [[Alexander the Great]] and was elected [[Roman consul|consul]] in 56&nbsp;BC. Philippus never had much of an interest in young Octavian. Because of this, Octavian was raised by his grandmother, [[Julia Minor (grandmother of Augustus)|Julia]], the sister of Julius Caesar. Julia died in 52 or 51&nbsp;BC, and Octavian delivered the funeral oration for his grandmother.{{sfn|Suetonius|loc=''Augustus'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#8 8.1]}}<ref>[[Quintilian]], [http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/quintilian/quintilian.institutio12.shtml#6 12.6.1]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180225070928/http://thelatinlibrary.com/quintilian/quintilian.institutio12.shtml#6 |date=25 February 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Augustus|volume=2|page=912|first=Henry Francis|last=Pelham|author-link=Henry Francis Pelham}}</ref> From this point, his mother and stepfather took a more active role in raising him. He donned the ''[[toga]] virilis'' ("toga of manhood") four years later<ref name="Suet8.1">Suetonius, ''Augustus'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Augustus*.html#8 8.1]</ref> and was elected to the [[College of Pontiffs]] in 47&nbsp;BC.{{sfn|Nicolaus of Damascus|loc=[http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/nicolaus.html 4]}}{{Sfn|Rowell|1962|page=16}} The following year he was put in charge of the [[Ancient Olympic Games|Greek games]] that were staged in honor of the [[Temple of Venus Genetrix]], built by Julius Caesar.{{Sfn|Rowell|1962|page=16}}

According to [[Nicolaus of Damascus]], Octavian wished to join Caesar's staff for his campaign in [[Africa (Roman province)|Africa]] but gave way when his mother protested.{{sfn|Nicolaus of Damascus|loc=[http://www.csun.edu/~hcfll004/nicolaus.html 6]}} In 46&nbsp;BC, she consented for him to join Caesar in [[Hispania]], where he planned to fight the forces of [[Pompey]], Caesar's late enemy, but Octavian fell ill and was unable to travel. When he had recovered, he sailed to the front but was shipwrecked. After coming ashore with a handful of companions, he crossed hostile territory to Caesar's camp, which impressed Caesar considerably.<ref name="Suet8.1" /> [[Velleius Paterculus]] reports that after that time, Caesar allowed the young man to share his carriage.<ref>Velleius Paterculus [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Velleius_Paterculus/2C*.html#59.3 2.59.3].</ref> When back in Rome, Caesar deposited a new will with the [[Vestal Virgin]]s, naming Octavian as the prime beneficiary.<ref name="Suetonius_Julius">Suetonius, ''Julius'' [https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Suetonius/12Caesars/Julius*.html#83 83].</ref>