Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to or characteristic of the times of the Roman Emperor Augustus: Describes anything associated with the reign, culture, or style of Emperor Augustus (63 BC – AD 14), the first Roman emperor, whose rule initiated a period of relative peace, stability, and cultural flourishing known as the Pax Romana.
   • Classical, refined, or dignified in style: By extension, describes a style of art, literature, or architecture that is marked by classical elegance, order, balance, and sophistication, reminiscent of the high cultural achievements of Augustus's era.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The poet aimed for an Augustan elegance in his verse, mirroring the clarity of Virgil.
  • Scholars study Augustan architecture to understand the propaganda of the early Roman Empire.
  • The period is often called the Augustan Age of Latin literature.

Advanced Usage

• "Augustan Age": A specific historical period, most commonly referring to the reign of Augustus in Rome (27 BC – AD 14), characterized by great literary output from writers like Virgil, Horace, and Ovid. The term is also applied by analogy to other periods in a nation's history marked by literary refinement and classical influence, such as 18th-century England (the Augustan Age in English literature).
  • The English Augustan Age saw writers like Alexander Pope and Jonathan Swift emulating Roman ideals.
• Used to describe a revival or imitation of classical principles in later periods.
  • The building's Augustan proportions reflect the 18th-century neoclassical revival.

Variants and Related Words

• Augustus (n): The title of Gaius Octavius, the first Roman emperor, after whom the adjective is formed.
• Augustanism (n): The principles or style characteristic of the Augustan Age, especially the imitation or emulation of classical models.

Synonyms

• Classical: Pertaining to the ancient Greek or Roman style.
• Neoclassical: Denoting a revival of a classical style (often used for later periods inspired by the Augustan ideal).

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Pax Romana: The "Roman Peace," the long period of relative peace and stability initiated by Augustus's rule, often associated with the Augustan Age.
• Golden Age: A period of great peace, prosperity, and cultural achievement; the Augustan Age is considered a Golden Age of Roman culture.

Adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of the times of the Roman Emperor Augustus
   • the Augustan Age