Augustus's creation of a new leadership model and Roman transformation

¶ … new type of leadership and what did his new Rome look like?

Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus initiated a new type of leadership within Rome through an espousal of Republican virtues that helped re-establish the government's role in maintaining equity and social reform for the general populace (Everitt 2007; Suetonius, Graves, and Grant 2002). Augustus' rule was rife with political and social reform dedicated toward providing institutionalized public safety forces, purchasing land for settlement, restoring religious centers, establishing a courier system, initiating widespread tax reform, and constructing new roads and public institutions (Everitt 2007; Suetonius, Graves, and Grant 2002).

Under the span of Augustus' rule, Rome changed drastically with the pervasive creation of government-run institutions, including a public police and fire brigades (Everitt 2007; Suetonius, Graves, and Grant 2002). Divided by city sectors, these organizations represent the first establishments of public safety forces in the Roman republic (Everitt 2007; Suetonius, Graves, and Grant 2002). Individual members of these organizations were paid through allocations from Roman tax revenue (Everitt 2007; Suetonius, Graves, and Grant 2002). The construction projects associated with the establishment of public institutions and the restoration and creation of new religious temples additionally engendered economic revitalization throughout Rome and the surrounding regions, bringing about a new era in Roman prosperity (Everitt 2007; Suetonius, Graves, and Grant 2002).

Augustus similarly created a large standing army for the Roman empire, a creation which was concomitant with the advent of the Pax Romana, an era characterized by general peace and minimal militaristic expansion, although this was not the case throughout Augustus' rule (Everitt 2007). The size of the army reached nearly 200,000 (Everitt 2007). Augustus also instituted programs to provide additional payments to both retired and active Roman soldiers for their duties.

Widespread efforts were made by Augustus to reduce unnecessary excess by government while increasing spending on beneficial programs that presented utility rather than the perception of power (Everitt 2007). Consistent with these efforts, Augustus melted down dozens of silver and gold statues constructed in his likeness to emphasis the importance of modesty and the dangers of excess (Everitt 2007).

Augustus' institution of regulated taxation provided dramatically increased revenue for Rome and allowed for the increased expenses of social reform (Everitt 2007; Suetonius, Graves, and Grant 2002). Similarly, private taxation was abolished and increased the taxation purview of the Roman governance (Everitt 2007). Augustus prudently utilized the nascent taxation reform to provide funding for the maintenance of extensive road networks throughout Italy, among the various other public projects (Everitt 2007).