Ancient History Research Assignment – ​​Augustan Reforms From ages past, the actions of conquerors, kings, and tyrants had brought the Roman Republic to a position that opposed any idea of ​​a single leader, of a single man who held total power over the entire state. Their rejection of the various ruthless Etruscan rulers who had previously dictated them brought the Republic into existence in 509 BC, and as a republic their importance in all provinces of the world expanded exponentially. Over the course of these years, the traditions of the Romans changed to varying degrees, most noticeably due to the cultural influence that the subject nations had on the republic, as well as the ever-changing nature of Roman society in relation to current events. . However, it was not until the accession of Augustus, the first in a long line of subsequent emperors, that many fundamental aspects of the Republic were significantly changed. These were collectively known as the "Augustan Reforms" and largely consisted of a series of revisions to the social, religious, political, legal, and administrative aspects of the republic's infrastructure. Through Augustus, who reveled in the old traditional ways of the past, the immoral and unbridled society that Rome was gradually falling into being was converted into one where infidelities and corruption were looked upon and judged harshly. The Roman historian Suetonius states: "He corrected many evil practices which, to the detriment of the public, had survived the licentious habits of the late civil wars, or had originated in the long peace." Through Augustus and his reforms, the Republic transformed into an Empire, and through this transformation, Rome experienced one of its largest and most stable...... able to be selected for the position of governor of a province. In an effort to restore the true meaning of being a citizen of the Republic, Augustus also limited the number of slaves who could be freed by a master and age limits on the slaves who could be freed. However, Augustus clearly did not harbor any form of disgust for these freedmen, as many were employed to carry out financial and administrative business, some even personally for Augustus. The use of the talents of these freedmen and knights proved beneficial to the maintenance of Rome and, as the historian Scullard states, “Thus Augustus succeeded in establishing an efficient corps of paid professional administrators; all depended indirectly on their favor, and most of them were directly appointed by him and responsible to him alone.”