The Augustan Revolution
‘‘Butanexcessiveandmadloveof libertypossessedtheman,tosuchade-
greethat,although,thedeifiedAugustuswasthenprincepsandincontrolof
theres publica[rem publicam obtinebat],helookeduponnothingaslawful,and
acceptednothing,unlesshehadfounditorderedandsanctionedbytheold
Romanlaw.’’^109
Labeo thus saw the principate of Augustus in a light not entirely dif-
ferent from that in which Cascellius had seen theTriumvirate. Moreover,
even the complaisant Capito regarded the principate as a state of affairs in
which Augustus was ‘‘in control of theres publica.’’ That theres publicahad
beenduly‘‘restored’’—restituta—byAugustushewouldsurelyhaveagreed;
butheclearlydidnotsupposethatithadeverbeengivenback—reddita.
TheregimesofJuliusCaesar,oftheTriumvirs,andofAugustusallhadto
adjustthemselvesindifferingwaystotheres publicaof Romeanditsinsti-
tutions,whose tenacity in survival was to be one of the most remarkable
features of imperial history.The temporary nature of theTriumvirate, its
verylackofdefinition,andthecompetitionforpoliticalsupportbetweenits
three,andthentwo,holders,causedittobe,ifanything,moredependenton
theRepublicaninstitutionsthanweretheregimesofCaesarandofAugustus
whichprecededandfollowedit.ThevictoryofActium,thedeathofAnto-
nius,andthestabilizationofaffairsinRomeallmarkedstepstowards,not
awayfrom,theestablishmentofamonarchy;andnogoodevidencesuggests
thatanybodyatthetimeclaimed,orsupposed,otherwise.
. AulusGellius,NA,,–(basedonLoebtrans.).