Changes

Now Augustus was in control of all the armies and they were personally loyal to him. This was to transform the situation in the Empire.<ref> Holland, p 318</ref> No longer was any general or party able to challenge the military supremacy of Augustus and this meant that few if any dared to question his authority. Because of the strength of Augustus, no one was able to rebel against him and hope to succeed. This meant that there were no more civil wars during the long reign of Augustus. When he died the first Emperor was able to pass on his armies to his heir and this ensured stability and this prevented any conflicts over the succession from developing <ref> Suetonius. The Twelve Caesars, 4</ref>. The later emperors followed Augustus example and ensured that they alone controlled the army and this led to an unprecedented period of peace in most of Europe and parts of the Middle East and North Africa.<ref>Suetonius, 5</ref>

After his victory in the war against Anthony, Augustus was the most powerful man in the Roman world. He had control of the legions, a vast treasury and was very popular with the Roman population. Augustus had defeated the unpopular Anthony and Cleopatra and he was widely praised for bringing peace once more to Rome. Even his former enemies of the first emperor acknowledged his role in restoring Rome. This is seen in the poetry of Horace, who extolled Augustus, and his achievements even though he had fought against him at Philippi. Augustus had also maintained the unity of the Roman Empire. Anthony and Cleopatra if they had won may have decided to establish a separate realm in the eastern portion of the Empire.<ref> Plutarch, Life of Augustus, 34. 6</ref> It was widely believed at the time and since that, if Anthony had won that he and Cleopatra would have created a Romano-Egyptian monarchy in the eastern Mediterranean. For this many saw him as the ‘restorer’ of the Roman Empire.