Explanation: The first Roman Emperor Augustus, depicted by the statue at bottom-left, was a master propagandist who left future generations' recollections of him largely painted by his 'supported' interpretations of his rule. For this reason, many to this day do not remember Augustus as a brutal politician, but as some abstract, monarch-like enlightened autocrat - just as Augustus would have liked it.
In reality, however, Augustus's rise to power, and method of maintaining it, was incredibly thuggish, in a mafioso 'wink wink nudge nudge' kind of way. Augustus was a master at using bribery, extortion, blackmail, and coercion to get his way, and all without staining his own reputation too much in the process. Dissident politicians were quietly 'dealt with' or sidelined, naked military power backed up all of Augustus's very polite offers-that-can't-be-refused, and a massive amount of wealth was subtly concentrated into the hands of Augustus and his cronies, who used that wealth to fuel their repressive state apparatus and ensure it remained under their personal control. A behavior not dissimilar to mob bosses with their gangs - or modern 'strongman' style autocrats with national governments!
Explanation: The first Roman Emperor Augustus, depicted by the statue at bottom-left, was a master propagandist who left future generations' recollections of him largely painted by his 'supported' interpretations of his rule. For this reason, many to this day do not remember Augustus as a brutal politician, but as some abstract, monarch-like enlightened autocrat - just as Augustus would have liked it.
In reality, however, Augustus's rise to power, and method of maintaining it, was incredibly thuggish, in a mafioso 'wink wink nudge nudge' kind of way. Augustus was a master at using bribery, extortion, blackmail, and coercion to get his way, and all without staining his own reputation too much in the process. Dissident politicians were quietly 'dealt with' or sidelined, naked military power backed up all of Augustus's very polite offers-that-can't-be-refused, and a massive amount of wealth was subtly concentrated into the hands of Augustus and his cronies, who used that wealth to fuel their repressive state apparatus and ensure it remained under their personal control. A behavior not dissimilar to mob bosses with their gangs - or modern 'strongman' style autocrats with national governments!