Augustus: life of the week

Ed Watts reveals how ancient Rome's first emperor combined political cunning with immense cruelty to change the course of world history

Published: December 30, 2025 at 8:00 AM

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‘Evil genius’ is a phrase that could have been invented to describe Augustus, the first emperor of Rome. Augustus butchered his way to power in the chaos that followed Julius Caesar's assassination, and then showed the political cunning to remain there for four decades. In conversation with Spencer Mizen, Ed Watts – author of The Romans: A 2,000-Year History – considers the secrets of the success of an extraordinary individual who transformed the ancient world.

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Authors

Spencer MizenSenior production editor

Spencer is senior production editor of HistoryExtra magazine

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