Augustus and the Res Gestae: His Own Epitaph

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the Res Gestae Divi Augusti — the autobiographical inscription that Augustus himself composed to sum up his life and achievements. Written in the first person and posted throughout the empire after his death, it is a masterwork of political spin that continues to shape how we understand the first emperor. Lucas traces the document's survival — from the original bronze pillars outside his mausoleum to a near-complete copy carved into a temple in Ankara, modern-day Turkey. He explains how Augustus tallied his gladiatorial shows, his building projects, his military conquests, and the vast sums of his own money he poured into the state. But the Res Gestae is also a carefully curated record — one that omits defeats, political violence, and the messy realities of power. Lucas and Luna discuss the tension between Augustan propaganda and historical truth, and what the document tells us about the man who shaped the Roman Empire. #ResGestae #Augustus #RomanHistory #RomanEmpire #Ankara #MonumentumAncyranum #RomanPropaganda #AugustanAge #AncientHistory #RomanLiterature #Epigraphy #PaxRomana #RomanEmperors #FexingoHistory #History #Classics #AncientRome #Autobiography Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo