In the ancient world, some men were born great while others dedicated their lives to becoming great. The Roman emperor Augustus Caesar was part of the latter due to his conquests which laid the foundation for an empire ravaged by civil war. Despite the turmoil of the Roman Empire after the assassination of his adoptive father, Julius Caesar, he led Rome to social, political and economic prosperity and stability. His military tactics marked the beginning of a dynasty that saw a massive expansion of the Roman Empire. Thus, Augustus Caesar's contributions to the Roman Empire mark him as the most influential ruler of the ancient world, particularly due to the success of his social reforms, military expansions, and political innovations that marked the beginning of an empire previously overwhelmed by chaos. Socially, Augustus attempted to revive the traditional religious and moral values ​​of Roman society. Augustus was known to be a self-proclaimed "Restorer of the Republic"[1] and being quoted as saying that he had "found Rome of brick and left it of marble"[2] clearly shows his ultimate goal of reviving Roman traditions and culture values ​​destroyed by civil unrest. His large-scale reconstruction of the buildings and monuments destroyed during the civil war supported the survival of Roman art and culture. As a result, citizens' patriotism increased and, in the process, increased their own popularity within the nation; a vital aspect to his long-lasting reign. Indeed, this was the basis for the introduction of new moral reforms that would restore the faith and pride of citizens in the Roman Empire. Because of his strong belief in discouraging adultery while increasing the number of legitimate Roman citizens...... middle of paper ......clopedia Britannica. Network. May 25, 2014.Fife, Steven. "The political, social and moral reforms of Augustus". Encyclopedia of Ancient History. January 18, 2012. Web. May 25, 2014. Grant, Michael. "Military successes". Encyclopedia Britannica online. Encyclopedia Britannica. Network. May 25, 2014.Mark, Joshua J. “Augustus.” Encyclopedia of Ancient History. August 22, 2010. Web. May 25, 2014. Mark, Joshua J. “Roman Empire.” Encyclopedia of Ancient History. April 28, 2011. Web. May 25, 2014.McManus, Barbara F. “Augustus, the Principate, and Propaganda.” Augustus, the Principality and Propaganda. Network. May 25, 2014.Morey, William C. "Outlines of Roman History, Chapter 23." Outlines of Roman history, chapter 23. Web. 25 May 2014."Praetorian Guard." Praetorian Guard. Network. May 25, 2014."The Roman Army." The Roman army. Network. May 25, 2014."The Roman Empire: in the first century." PBS. PBS. Network. May 23 2014.