Augustus: The First Emperor

Imperium: Augustus (2003)

Timing: 3:20 (200 min)

5.917/10
18

6.584/10
1214

6.2/10
1500

• By contract, actors for the film were selected from all countries that had invested money in its production.
• The film was dedicated to Titus Vossberg, the film's set designer.
• The original German title of the film is “Augustus — Mein Vater, der Kaiser,” which translates to “Augustus — My Father, the Emperor.” Initially, “My Father, the Emperor” was chosen as the English title, but the distributors decided that “Augustus” was more suitable.
• Filming took place in Tunisia.
• Seven history professors were hired as historical consultants for the film.
• A scene of violence against Julia by Tiberius was cut from some DVD and VHS releases to lower the MPAA rating.
• According to the plot, after Caesar's return to Rome from Spain, he pardoned Sextus. Historical sources state that Sextus fled after the Battle of Munda, and Pompey was executed.
• In the film, Maecenas was sent to Macedonia for training along with Octavian and Agrippa. However, historical sources first mention Maecenas only in 40 BC, when Octavian arranged his wedding to Scribonia – four years later. Salvidienus, another childhood friend of Octavian, not Maecenas, was sent to Macedonia (more precisely, Apollonia) with Octavian and Agrippa.
• The film portrays Scribonia as supposedly Augustus's first wife, and Livia as his second. In reality, they were his second and third wives, respectively. Augustus's first wife was Claudia Pulchra, although he divorced her without harming her.
• In the film, Tiberius kills Iullus Antonius. Historical sources report that Iullus Antonius was caught in treason and secretly received a decree from Augustus suggesting he commit suicide to avoid a more shameful death, which Iullus Antonius did in 2 BC. This is reported by Velleius Paterculus, a historian and contemporary of Augustus. According to Cassius Dio, a historian who lived later than Velleius Paterculus, Iullus Antonius was executed.
• The film shows Julia visiting Augustus on his deathbed. In fact, she died in the same year and never returned to Rome after her exile.
• According to surviving sources, Julia was exiled to the island of Pandateria near Campania, and not to Brundisium.
• The film features stirrups. Stirrups began to be used in Europe much later – approximately in the 5th–6th centuries, with the first mention of stirrups in Europe dating back to the 6th century.
• The original German title of the film is "Augustus — Mein Vater, der Kaiser," which means "Augustus — My Father, the Emperor." "My Father, the Emperor" was initially chosen as the English title, but distributors decided that "Augustus" was more suitable.