How to Destroy a Democracy (Welcome to the Augustan Age)

Ancient History Fangirl

History, Society & Culture

4.5 • 518 Ratings

🗓️ 7 May 2026

⏱️ 75 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

⁠⁠⁠Help keep our podcast going by contributing to our Patreon! When Augustus rolled into town after defeating Marc Antony and Cleopatra, he was greeted as a hero—because the Senate ordered its people to stand outside the gates and cheer. The reality was, there was fear on both sides. Augustus was afraid to grab power too quickly—or he’d find himself meeting Caesar’s fate. The Senators feared bloody proscriptions, like the ones Augustus (Octavian) unleashed with the Second Triumvirate just a few years ago. Standing outside those walls, anything could have happened. Octavian could have been murdered. He could have given Rome back its democracy, just like it was. Just like before. And for a while, it looked like he was going to do that. He kept promising he would. But that’s not how it went down. Today we’ll explore how you kill a democracy—with a thousand tiny cuts, or one single stab to the heart. Sponsors and Advertising This podcast is a member of Airwave Media podcast network. Want to advertise on our show? Please direct advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	You're listening to an Airwave Media podcast.
0:04.6	This episode is brought to you by Expedia and Visit Scotland.
0:09.2	Start your story in Scotland.
0:11.5	Experience the pool of wide, untamed landscapes and fresh cuisine that feels rooted in place.
0:18.2	Discover castles steeped in legend.
0:20.8	And feel the genuine warmth from locals
0:23.5	you meet in a place that will stay with you long after you leave. Start planning your own Scottish holiday.
0:30.3	Today at Expedia.com.uk.com slash visit Scotland.
0:35.5	Sick of those trivia podcasts that you don't even understand how to operate and they're just
0:40.9	to have too many levers and buttons.
0:43.4	There's got to be a better way.
0:46.3	Now there is with Good Job Brain, an offbeat quiz show and trivia podcast that makes learning
0:52.7	new things easy and fun.
0:55.9	I just learned that artificial vanilla flavoring sometimes comes from the anal glands of a beaver,
1:01.0	and now I can never shake that mental image. Thanks, Good Job Brain. Good Job Brain is available
1:06.6	for the low price of just four easy payments of free.
1:12.4	It's a podcast.
1:17.2	Good Job Brain is part of Airwave Media and available on all podcast apps.
1:19.0	Operators are standing by.
1:22.8	This episode is brought to you by our Patreon members.
1:24.2	Thank you so much.
1:29.6	Join our Patreon for extra episodes, interviews, extra content, and to help support the podcast and help us continue to do the work we do. Go to patreon.com slash ancient
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Ancient History Fangirl, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Ancient History Fangirl and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.