What building was associated with a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from an oligarchy into the autocratic Roman Empire?
Arch of Augustus, Rome The Arch of Augustus (Italian: "Arco di Augusto" ) was the triumphal arch of Augustus, located in the Roman Forum. It spanned the road between the Temple of Castor and Pollux and the Temple of Caesar, near the Temple of Vesta. Built in 20 BC, it commemorated the return of the Parthian standards and replaced the earlier Arch of Octavian built on the same spot in 29 BC, to commemorate the Battle of Actium (31 BC) against Mark Antony and Cleopatra.
Political history of the Roman military Rome's military was always tightly keyed to its political system. In the Roman kingdom the social standing of a person impacted both his political and military roles. The political system was from an early date based upon competition within the ruling elite. Senators in the Republic competed fiercely for public office, the most coveted of which was the post of Consul. Two were elected each year to head the government of the state, and would be assigned a consular army and an area in which to campaign. From Gaius Marius and Sulla onwards, control of the army began to be tied into the political ambitions of individuals, leading to the political triumvirate of the 1st century BC and its military resolution. The late Republic and Empire was increasingly plagued by usurpations led by or supported by the military, leading to the crisis of the third century in the late empire.