Augustus (honorific)

Augustus (honorific)

Augustus (plural augusti), Latin for "majestic," "the increaser," or "venerable", was an Ancient Roman title which was first held by Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (often referred to simply as Augustus) and subsequently came to be considered one of the titles of what are now known as the Roman Emperors. The feminine form is Augusta.

Although the use of the cognomen "Augustus" as part of one's name is generally understood to identify Emperor Augustus, this is somewhat misleading; "Augustus" was the most significant name associated with the Emperor, but it did not actually represent any sort of constitutional office until the 3rd century under Diocletian. The Imperial dignity was not an ordinary office, but rather an extraordinary concentration of ordinary powers in the hands of one man; "Augustus" was the name that unambiguously identified that man.

In Greek, which was widely used in the eastern provinces of the Empire, the translation sebastos (σεβαστός, "venerable") or the hellenized form augoustos (αὔγουστος) were used. After the fall of the Empire the word was not uncommon as a name for men of aristocratic birth in Europe, especially in the lands of the Holy Roman Empire.