How old was agustus when he became emperor?

Answer 1

There was no such title. He called himself Princeps - first citizen, which he adopted in 27 BCE until his death. # He kept control by getting the lifetime powers of a tribune of the plebs (which gave veto of legislation, ability to intoduce legislation in the Senate, and personal immunity in Rome). # He got himself imperium outside Rome which gave him authority and immunity. He had himself allocated the border provinces (which gave him command of the legions because that is where they were). The last thing he wanted was anything which smacked of kingship, which was red rag to a bull to republicans and had cost his adoptive father Caesar his life. It had to be camouflaged with indirect ways of pulling the strings. The word Emperor derives from the title of Imperator, which was given to a general by acclaim of the solders on a successful battlefield. This was an honorific, and had nothing to do with ruling. The Princeps who followed Rome kept power by following Augustus' manipulations. This deteriorated by the end of the 2nd Century CE, and despotic ruling began to take over. The earlier period is known as the Principate; thereafter we have invented the word Emperor to describe the later period of absolute rulers. Just to confuse things further, Rome had had a growing empire for a couple of hundred years prior to all this. It's just that the word Emperor didn't exist, and the leadership was taken by first the Consuls, then warring generals in coalition as Triumvirs (Caesar got himself Dictator for Life, which, looking like the no-no of kingship, sponsored his termination), and then the Augustan settlement after the civil wars, by the Princeps.

Answer 2

Augustus Caesar was 36 when he became emperor of Rome.

Answer 3

Augustus became emperor for all practical purposes after the battle of Actium in 31 BC. At that time he was 32 years of age.

Answer 4

Augustus/Octavian gained sole power in 31 BC. He could be considered the "emperor" from that time.

Answer 5

Augustus was 36 years old when he became the emperor of Rome.