The Constitutional Settlements: How Augustus created the Empire: Part Four

Gradual Process:

• Augustus was very good at politics, and created the Principate, which was an entirely new approach to government. It was somewhat disorientating to the Romans. It was designed to be so in order to gradually confuse them away from the older notions of rule
• It was a unique institution for its era - there was nothing else like it
• It was imposed gradually, with many of its most significant aspects being done behind closed doors or in such a manner that it allowed for a creeping expansion from Princeps to Emperor (whilst keeping the population oblivious to the dictatorship)

Power:

• In theory, Augustus was nothing more than a powerful magistrate, among consuls and proconsuls
• He himself was Consul every year, along with colleagues that were equal in title, and had a large province to administer. After the second settlement of 23 BC, his maius imperium and tribunicia potestas were the basis of his legal authority. They had republican precedents, only now they were pushed farther and contributed to an Augustan auctoritas that was as unique as the Principate, and made him the most powerful Roman alive, with the greatest personal authority and legitimacy
• The republic was seemingly re-established. Annual elections for the consulship were seriously contested, while Augustus' power was magisterial, deriving from the masses in good republican tradition, and he consulted with the Senate. There was no sign of tyranny, and it appeared that he let the Principate run without interfering

Augustus' Own View: The Res Gestae:

[34.1] In my sixth and seventh consulships [28-27 BC], after I had extinguished the civil wars, having become master of everything by the consent of all, I transferred the republic from my power [potestas] to the control of the Senate and the Roman people [34.2] In return for this service of mine by decree of the Senate I was called Augustus, and the door-posts of my house were screened with laurel at public expense, and a civic crown was fixed above my door and a golden shield was set up in the Julian Senate house with an inscription attesting that the Senate and the Roman people gave it to me because of my courage, clemency, justice and piety. [34.3] After that time I excelled in authority [auctoritas], but I had no more power [potestas] than others who were my colleagues in each magistracy

Did people fall for this trick? Cassius Dio:53.11-13:

"Varied feelings took possession of the senators. A few of them knew his real intention and consequently kept applauding him enthusiastically; of the rest, some were suspicious of his words, while others believed them, and therefore both classes marvelled equally, the one at his cunning and the other at his decision, and both were displeased, the former in his scheming and the latter at his change of mind. For already there were some who abhorred the democratic constitution as a breeder of strife, who were pleased at the change in government, and took delight in Caesar. Consequently, though they were variously affected by his announcement, their views were the same. For, on the one hand, those who believed he had spoken the truth could not show their pleasure - those who wished to do so being restrained by their fear and the others by their hopes - and those, on the other hand, who did not believe it did not dare accuse him and expose his insincerity, some because they were afraid and others because they did not care to do so. Hence all the doubters either were compelled to believe him or else pretended that they did. As for praising him, some had not the courage and others were unwilling; on the contrary, but while he was reading and afterwards, they kept shouting out, begging for a monarchical government and urging every argument in its favour, until they forced him as it was made to appear, to assume autocratic power. His very first act was to secure a decree granting to the men who should compose his bodyguard double the pay that was given to rest of the soldiers, so that he might be strictly guarded. When this was done, he was eager to establish the monarchy in very truth"