Augustus Caesar (63 B.C.–A.D. 14), Rome’s first emperor, stands as a masterclass in practical statecraft.
Not that he was without flaws: ruthless, vain, violent on his way to the top, and cruel to his daughter and only birth child. Yet set against these are his good judgment, intelligence, ambition, vision, and a genuine desire to make his country and its empire better, richer, and more peaceful—and he succeeded to a remarkable degree. This lecture invites us to weigh both sides of the ledger and ask what Augustus can teach us about power, character, and the art of governance.
