The Life and Times of Augustus Caesar

When a teenager named Octavian learned that he was the heir of Julius Caesar, the most powerful man in Rome, it seemed like a recipe for disaster. Caesar had just been assassinated, and in the chaotic world of Roman politics the inexperienced young man seemed to have no chance against men two or three times his age.

But Octavian had a genius for politics. Within a year he emerged as one of three leaders of Rome. Just over a decade later he took total control. Soon afterward, the Roman people gave him a new name: Augustus Caesar. It was the name that would make him immortal. He ushered in a period of peace and prosperity, ending decades of civil conflict that had cost thousands of lives. His reign was also characterized by a flourishing of art and architecture.

He was the first emperor of the Roman Empire. He was almost certainly the best.