Augustus

Also known as: Emperor Augustus · Family: Roman · Role: Emperor · First appears: Book 2 · Chapter 3

In Book 2, Augustus is described as Octavia’s brother and as the emperor who succeeded Cæsar, the founder of modern Corinth. A statue bearing Augustus’s name is said to be Orestes; in Book 3, Cæsar is called his adopted father, and Augustus is credited with confirming autocratic rule and surpassing him in power. He also liberated the Eleutherolacones from Spartan subjection and ordered the Messenians at Pharæ ranked under Laconia.

In Book 4, Augustus fought Mark Antony, with the Lacedæmonians supporting him and Messenians fighting for Antony. Afterward, he punished those who had opposed him and gave Thuria to the Spartans; the people of Thuria then left their hilltop city for the plain. In Book 7, he razed Rhypæ and incorporated its Achæans into Patræ, granting the people of Patræ freedom and privileges. They also received the statue of Artemis from Ætolia.

At Actium, the Mantineans fought for Augustus while other Arcadians sided with Antony. After his victory, Augustus carried away Athene Alea’s statue and the Calydonian boar’s tusks; a statue of Athene Alea in Rome is described as having been built by Augustus, with workmanship by Endœus. In Book 10, he admitted Nicopolis to the Amphictyonic Council and transferred other delegates’ votes to it.