Augustus, born Gaius Octavius, was the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor, ruling from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD. He emerged victorious from the civil wars that followed the assassination of his great-uncle Julius Caesar. Augustus’s reign initiated an era of relative peace known as the 'Pax Romana' (Roman Peace), which lasted for over two centuries. He dramatically enlarged the Empire, reformed the tax system, developed networks of roads, and established a standing army. He famously boasted that he 'found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble.' His legacy established the framework for the imperial system that would govern the Mediterranean world for centuries.