Background
Hailing from Velitrae, he descended from an old, wealthy equestrian branch of the gens Octavia. His father Gaius Octavius was a municipal magistrate who lived to an advanced age.
Hailing from Velitrae, he descended from an old, wealthy equestrian branch of the gens Octavia. His father Gaius Octavius was a municipal magistrate who lived to an advanced age.
He is the father of the Emperor Augustus, step-grandfather of the Emperor Tiberius, great-grandfather of the Emperor Claudius, great-great grandfather of the Emperor Caligula, and great-great-great grandfather of the Emperor Nero. Despite being from a wealthy family, his family was plebeian, rather than patrician. As a novus homo ("new man"), he would not be of a senatorial family.
He is a distant relative (possibly as third cousins, through their ancestor Gnaeus Octavius Rufus) to Gnaeus Octavius, the consul of 87 BC who led the opposition to Lucius Cornelius Cinna. Octavius was elected quaestor, believed to have been in 70 BC. In 61 BC, he was elected praetor. In 60 BC, after his term had ended, he was appointed proprietor, and was to serve as governor (praefectus pro praetor) of Macedonia.
Before he left for Macedonia, the senate sent him to put down a slave rebellion at Thurii. These slaves had previously taken part in the rebellions of Spartacus and Catiline. He then left for Macedonia and proved a capable administrator, governing "courageously and justly", his deeds included leading the Roman forces to victory in an unexpected battle against the Thracian Bessian tribe.
Cicero had high regard for his diplomatic dealings. In 59 BC, Octavius sailed to Rome, to stand for election as consul. However, he died in Nola, before arriving in Rome.
C(aius) Octavius C(ai) f(ilius) C(ai) n(epos) C(ai) prpater Augustitr(ibunus) mil(itum) bis q(uaestor) aed(ilis) pl(ebis) cumC(aio) Toranio iudex quaestionumpr(aetor) proco(n)s(ul) imperator appellatusex provincia Macedonia Gaius Octavius, son, grandson and great-grandson of Gaius,father of Augustus,twice military tribune, quaestor, aedile of the plebs together withGaius Toranius, judge,praetor, proconsul, proclaimed imperatorin the province of Macedonia.
