Augustus Caesar, also known as Octavian, was the founder and first emperor of the Roman Empire. He reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. Augustus’ rule had a significant impact on the world into which Jesus was born and in which early Christianity began to spread.
Here are some key ways Augustus Caesar influenced biblical history:
He brought peace after civil war
Prior to Augustus, Rome had experienced decades of civil war and unrest under leaders like Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. Augustus defeated Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, ending the civil wars. He then consolidated his power as sole ruler of the Roman Empire. Augustus boasted that he found Rome a city of brick but left it a city of marble, referring to the building projects he undertook. The Pax Romana or “Roman Peace” that he established allowed for the spread of Roman culture, architecture, roads, and trade throughout the Mediterranean region.
This period of stability and prosperity enabled the spread of early Christianity in the Roman world. As the Apostle Paul traveled across the Empire on his missionary journeys in the 40s-60s AD, he utilized the excellent Roman road system and shared the gospel in cities enjoying the Pax Romana (Acts 13-20). The stage was set for the growth of the church by the infrastructure Augustus put in place after years of conflict.
He was emperor during the life of Jesus
Augustus ruled the Roman Empire during the entire life of Jesus Christ. Jesus was born sometime between 6-4 BC, near the end of Augustus’ reign, and died around AD 30, under Augustus’ successor Tiberius. The emperor is mentioned by name in Luke 2:1 which records, “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” This refers to the census that brought Joseph and the pregnant Mary from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem just prior to Jesus’ birth.
Augustus being the reigning Caesar at Christ’s birth is significant because it provides historical context for the entrance of God’s son into the world. The Pax Romana allowed for increased travel and spreading of ideas and culture. The stage was set politically for the preaching of the gospel across the nations. Augustus’ rule was part of God’s timing and preparation for the Messiah to come “when the fullness of time had come” (Galatians 4:4).
He was treated as a divine ruler
Augustus promoted the imperial cult during his reign in which the emperor was worshipped alongside the traditional Roman gods. Temples and statues were built to honor Augustus. Although he did not demand worship of himself during his life, the foundations were laid for the emperor to be treated as divine after his death. The practice of deifying the emperor became more common with later rulers like Caligula and Domitian who more actively sought divine honors.
This background helps explain the accusations against Christians of promoting another king than Caesar (Acts 17:7). Their refusal to participate in emperor worship led to persecution. The imperial cult presented a direct challenge to their confession that Jesus alone deserved worship as Lord. The absolutism of Roman rule set the stage for clashes with Christians over who had higher authority and honor – Christ or Caesar.
His dynasty continued through New Testament era
Augustus established the Julio-Claudian dynasty which lasted from his rule in 27 BC to the fall of Nero in AD 68. The line of emperors coming after him – Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero – all inherited the forms of government and expectations of being treated as gods that Augustus had instituted.
This dynasty shaped the context into which the Christian movement expanded. For instance, Pontius Pilate was appointed prefect of Judea by Tiberius and it was under Pilate that Jesus was crucified. The book of Acts records several encounters between the apostles and the emperors who succeeded Augustus – from Peter and John facing threats from the council on which Tiberius Caesar’s household was represented (Acts 4:6) to Paul appealing his case “to Caesar” meaning the emperor Nero (Acts 25:11-12).
Jesus and his followers lived in and responded to a political culture decisively shaped by Augustus’ consolidation of power and promotion of emperor worship in imperial Rome.
He was seen as a savior figure
Augustus was hailed as a political savior for the peace, order, and prosperity he brought after years of strife. An inscription refers to his birth as “the beginning of good news for the world.” He was also viewed as blessed by the gods and “a savior who put an end to war and established all things.” Statues of Augustus depicted him as a divine figure.
Parallels between the language used for Augustus and the actual gospel of Christ helped pave the way for acceptance of Jesus’ message. The magistrates of Thessalonica accused Paul and Silas of “acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus” (Acts 17:7). But the idea of a divine king bringing peace and salvation was familiar in the Greco-Roman world. The climate was ripe for multitudes to turn from false saviors like Augustus to embrace Christ the true Savior.
His reign marked a new era
Augustus’ defeat of Antony and Cleopatra allowed him to be hailed as the initiator of a new age. He was seen as ushering in a period of rebirth and renewal for Rome. This was reflected in the change of his name from Gaius Octavius to Augustus, meaning “revered” or “majestic one.” The month of Sextilis was renamed Augustus in his honor and seen as the beginning of a new calendar era.
This idea of Augustus’ reign marking a turning point in history helped Christianity present Jesus as inaugurating a new age of redemption for the entire world. Paul speaks of Christ as “putting to death the hostility” through his sacrificial death on the cross (Ephesians 2:16). His resurrection marked a decisive turning point in human history, dividing time itself into BC (“Before Christ”) and AD (“Anno Domini” – in the year of our Lord). Augustus’ reign provided imagery of a new era that was reapplied to the coming of the kingdom of Christ.
He ruled most of the known world
At its height, the Roman Empire under Augustus’ rule stretched from Britain in the west to Syria in the east. It included the entire Mediterranean region. Roman roads, trade, and culture spread far and wide. The empire enclosed the Mediterranean “lake of countries” which had previously been divided by Alexander the Great’s fractured Macedonian empire. Now it was unified under Augustus’ Pax Romana.
This enabled the gospel to likewise spread across the known world. Christianity was not confined to its place of origin in Judea but through Paul’s missionary journeys spread across Asia Minor and into Europe (Acts 16:9). The stage was set both politically through Roman rule and culturally through Greek language and thought for the spread of the gospel across diverse nations and cultures. Just as Augustus ruled a vast empire, Jesus now reigned as Lord “far above all rule and authority” (Ephesians 1:21).
He amplified Greco-Roman culture
Augustus ruled in the aftermath of the conquests of Alexander the Great. Alexander had spread Greek culture, language, and philosophical ideas across the Middle East through his vast conquests. Upon becoming emperor, Augustus actively promoted and expanded Greek cultural influence in literature, education, architecture, and the arts across the empire.
This created a common cultural framework across the Mediterranean world that the apostles could draw upon to communicate the gospel. Paul quoted Greek poets and philosophers to make connections with his audiences (see Acts 17:28). Concepts from Stoicism regarding self-control and cosmopolitanism blended with Christianity. The Church Fathers would later systematize Christian doctrine using Greek philosophical categories. Augustus amplified the Hellenistic influences that helped shape early Christian thought and practice.
He made the world ready for Christ
In God’s providence, Augustus’ reign prepared the world for the coming of Christianity in many ways. His Pax Romana provided stability and infrastructure for travel and the spread of ideas. Worship of the emperor as divine paved the way for acceptance of Christ’s deity. The breadth of the empire enabled the rapid spread of the gospel. Shared Greek culture gave language and conceptual frameworks for presenting Christian teachings.
Augustus unified the Mediterranean world under one ruler and gave the empire common language, laws, currency, literature, and institutions. What for Augustus was an accomplishment of military might and cultural influence, through Christ became something far greater – the creation of an empire that was not of this world but rather the kingdom of God, ruled by the King of Kings. Augustus’ reign ultimately prepared the way for this greater and eternal kingdom to be established on earth and spread to the ends of the world.
He shaped the New Testament context
In the plan and providence of God, Augustus Caesar’s reign as first Roman emperor set the stage in almost every way for the coming of Christ into the world. His dynasty continued through the time of Christ’s birth, life, death, resurrection and the establishment of the Church. The political, religious, and cultural context he created forms the backdrop for most of the New Testament. The Pax Romana, Roman roads, emperor worship, the imperial cult, Greco-Roman culture, and the extent of the Empire all contributed to the environment into which Jesus was born and the early Church grew and spread.
From setting the stage for the nativity narrative to shaping Paul’s missionary travels, the influence of Augustus Caesar on the New Testament was profound. Though he did not know it or intend it, the reign of the emperor Augustus was part of God’s plan to prepare the world for the coming of His Son at just the right time (Galatians 4:4). Augustus’ impact enabled the gospel of Christ and His kingdom to spread across the known world and flourish in the environment Augustus’ rule had established. In God’s providence, the first Roman emperor played a pivotal, if unintended, role in biblical history.