Augustus
PeopleWhat is the meaning of Augustus in the Bible?
Augustus, born Gaius Octavius, was the founder of the Roman Principate and the first emperor of Rome, reigning from 27 BC to AD 14. He consolidated power after the fall of the Republic, initiating the Pax Romana, a long period of relative peace and stability that facilitated administrative reforms and territorial expansion across the Mediterranean world.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding Augustus's reign provides the essential historical backdrop for the New Testament, particularly the account in Luke 2:1 where a census decreed by Caesar Augustus serves as the narrative device for the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, linking the theological event to a verifiable moment in Roman imperial history.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
- Why did the biblical author mention Augustus in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Augustus clarify?
Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.