Question

why does augustus call himself the 'principate'?

Answer 1

Officially, after the battle of Actium in 31 BC, Octavius (Augustus from here on) was the sole ruler of Rome. He was never referred to as “king”, however; the Romans were not fond of this word. Yet, no republican form of government could keep the Roman state in line. They resorted back to monarchy mainly because this was the only true way for Rome to be ruled.

Augustus was the beginning of the time called the Principate period, which is characterized as a time where rulers of the new monarchy tried their best to preserve aspects of the Roman Republic. Augustus was a perfect example of this. He did his best to keep all conservative forms of government and keep most political shapes in tact. Augustus’s sole purpose was to wipe out the hatred and confusion that was caused by the civil war. He proved that he was a strong politician throughout his gaining of power, and his rule proved also that he was a very successful statesman. The Roman senate were the ones who actually gave Octavius the title of Augustus, for Augustus wanting to restore power back to the Roman senate in his new reforms.

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Answer 2

Answer:

His autocratic regime is known as the principate because he was the princeps, the first citizen, at the head of that array of outwardly revived republican institutions that alone made his autocracy palatable.