How did Rome's influence change through the reigns of Caesar and Augustus?

Answer 1

Julius Caesar's rule lasted for only five years. He gained power by fighting a civil war against the senate which took place in Greece, Egypt, Tunisia and Spain. The main impact of Caesar's rule outside Italy was that he ended the practice of "tax farming." Taxation in the provinces had been tendered to private individuals who collected taxes on an extortionate manner. Caesar restored an earlier system which allowed the cities in the provinces to collect the taxes themselves. This reduced resentment in the provinces and made Roman rule and influence more acceptable.

Prior to his rise to power, Caesar conquered Gaul (France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Holland south of the river Rhine, and Germany west of the Rhine) in his Gallic Wars (58-50 BC). This led to the extension of Roman influence into this area.

The assassination of Julius Caesar led to further civil wars. Augustus emerged as the final victor of these wars, became an absolute ruler and the first Roman emperor. He started the period of rule by emperors. He ended the disarray the Late Roman Republic had descended into and restored stability in the empire by attaining control of Rome' Politics and Government and the provinces. Roman influence changed through the economic changes in the empire promoted by Augustus and through his further expansion of the empire.

Augustus promoted trade. He favoured private enterprise and production of agricultural goods and manufactures for trade. He ensured that the taxation system was not unfavourable to entrepreneurs. He also promoted the development of infrastructure which facilitated the development of trade: the construction of roads, bridges, ports and aqueducts. The relative political stability and Augustus' policies led to the development of thriving trading networks throughout the Roman Empire. This led to greater prosperity in the provinces and greater economic, political and cultural integration of the conquered peoples into the Roman Empire and greater Roman influence. He also promoted an imperial ideology which justified rule by emperors and encouraged greater cultural homogeneity among the various peoples of the empire.

Augustus also expanded the Roman Empire. He annexed Egypt. He also annexed former Roman client states: Judea, Galatia (in Turkey) and the lower Danube area south of his river (Moesia). He completed the conquest of Spain and conquered the Rhaetia and Noricum in the Alpine region and the plain of Pannonia (western Hungary and eastern Austria). Therefore, Augustus expanded the area of Roman influence.