Gaius Octavius (father of Augustus)

Octavius' first wife was named Ancharia. The two had a child named Octavia the Elder. It is not known how the marriage ended, although it is possible that Ancharia died during child birth. Octavius later married the niece of Julius Caesar, Atia. How they met is not known, although Atia's family on her father's side (the Atii Balbi) lived close to Velitrae, which was the ancestral home of the Octavii. They had two children: Octavia the Younger (b. 69 BC) and Gaius Octavius (b. 63 BC), who became Roman Emperor, Augustus. ==Political career==

Some time before 73 BC, he had served as military tribune. He may have been elected quaestor some time around 73 BC and later plebeian aedile around 64 BC. His first clearly noted office was that of praetor in 61 BC. In 60 BC, after his term as praetor had ended, he was appointed proconsul of Macedonia. However, before he left for Macedonia, the senate sent him to put down a slave rebellion in Thurii. These slaves had previously taken part in the rebellions led by Spartacus and Catiline. Octavius' victory over the slaves in Thurii led him to give his son, then a few years old, the cognomen of "Thurinus". He then left for Macedonia and proved to be a capable administrator, governing with "equal justice and courage". He was saluted imperator for his victories over the Bessi in Thrace in 59 BC. His career is summarized in an inscription erected by his son on the forum he built in Rome: :C(aius) Octavius C(ai) C(ai) n(epos) C(ai) pr[on(epos)] :pater Augusti :tr(ibunus) mil(itum) bis q(uaestor) aed(ilis) pl(ebis) cum :C(aio) Toranio iudex quaestionum :pr(aetor) proco(n)s(ul) imperator appellatus :ex provincia Macedonia :“Gaius Octavius, son, grandson and great-grandson of Gaius, :father of Augustus, :twice military tribune, quaestor, aedile of the plebs together with :Gaius Toranius, judge, :praetor, proconsul, proclaimed imperator :in the province of Macedonia” ==Family tree of the Octavii Rufi==

Since the last Gaius Octavius (Augustus) was adopted by his great-uncle Julius Caesar and became one of the Julii Caesares, the family's original nomen gentile was not inherited by his only daughter (i.e. Julia the Elder) and adopted sons (i.e. Gaius Caesar, Lucius Caesar, Tiberius, Agrippa Postumus), which meant the end of the Octavii Rufi's male line. ==See also==