Gaius Octavianus

1 9.4

A Roman leader who made Rome an empire and became its first emperor Augustus

proper noun

: Cayo Octavio

After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Gaius Octavianus rose rapidly to power and eventually became the first emperor of Rome.

Examples

The reign of Gaius Octavianus marked the beginning of the Roman Empire.
The Battle of Actium was the turning point for Gaius Octavianus and the future of Rome.
After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Gaius Octavianus rose rapidly to power.
Historians regard Gaius Octavianus as a pivotal figure in Roman history.
Gaius Octavianus was a significant figure in Roman history.
Historians regard Gaius Octavianus as a pivotal figure in the establishment of the Roman Empire.
The reign of Gaius Octavianus marked a significant transformation in Roman governance and society.

Synonyms

Augustus

vsGaius Octavianus

11 8.1

The first Roman emperor who made Rome into an empire

is the original personal name used before receiving that title

Octavian

vsGaius Octavianus

3 9.2

The birth name of the first Roman emperor who founded the Roman Empire

is the same person later known by an imperial title

Surface Forms

Gaius Octavianus main

Morphology

Gaius + Octavianus

Both constituents are proper names with no transparent lexical meaning for a B1 learner, so the specific sense 'the Roman statesman who became Augustus' cannot be derived from 'Gaius' + 'Octavianus'. At best a learner might recognize this as a person's name, but personal names are arbitrary cross-linguistically and do not reveal the historical status or role, making the MWE opaque.

Etymology

Gaius Octavianus was the name of the young man Julius Caesar adopted; by taking his adoptive father's name and power he rose to lead Rome and became the ruler known as 'the first emperor', later called 'Augustus'.