August

eighth month, harvest month

After emperor Augustus, 63 BC. to 14 AD. BC

The Emperor's real name was Gaius Octavius and he was a great-nephew of Julius Caesar. When Caesar in 44 BC. was murdered, it turned out that he had designated the eighteen-year-old young man as his adoptive son and heir, which led to a terrible power struggle in Rome.

It would last until 31 BC. before he could call himself sole ruler. In 27 BC. he was given the title of 'August' by the senate, which means 'blessed, sanctified, exalted', the beginning of the Roman Empire. In 8 BC.

he authorized the month sextilis – the sixth of the ten months in the Roman calendar – to be named after him. It was the month in which he had celebrated his greatest triumphs. The word 'harvest' is also derived from Augustus.

> (see also emperor, patron and messalina)