Caesar Augustus

Augustus, whose birth name was Gaius Octavius Thurinus (September 23, 63 BC – August 19, 14 AD), was the first emperor of the Roman Empire. Historians typically refer to him by his title, “Augustus,” which means “venerable” or “majestic,” and which he received in 27 BC at the age of 36. The New Testament translates this title as “Caesar Augustus.” He died in August of 14 AD at the age of 75. The Roman Senate decided to deify him and named the month of August after him, which is the origin of the word for August in European languages.

Octavian ruled Rome as a dictator for 43 years. He ended a century of civil war and ushered in a long period of peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana. He reformed the Roman tax system, developed a road system with a formal courier service, established a standing army, created the Praetorian Guard, and established police and fire services for Rome. He also rebuilt much of the city during his reign.

Caesar Augustus is mentioned only once in the New Testament, at the beginning of the famous Christmas story in the Gospel of Luke: “In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.” There is archaeological evidence that every man in the Roman Empire had to return to his ancestral hometown. Therefore, Joseph, a descendant of David, had to travel from Nazareth to his ancestral city of Bethlehem, taking Mary, who was pregnant with the baby Jesus. Mary gave birth to Jesus there, fulfilling Micah’s prophecy that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2).

The birth of Jesus Christ was no accident, but a part of God’s plan established “before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:20). “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will” (Proverbs 21:1). Whether it was the Roman emperor who called himself divine or a diligent Roman governor, every action, from the decree for a census to every person returning to their own city, was an instrument used to accomplish God’s will.