Augustus was Caesar's heir. He was the first emperor in Rome's Empire and was emperor during Pax Romana. Octavian was the sole ruler of Rome, no others had as much power as he did. At a young age Octavian showed signs of skill. When he was 16 he became a priest, or a Pontifex. To claim the throne he had to defeat Cleopatra and Marc Antony. Marc Antony and Cleopatra both had plans for power after Julius Caesar's death, but when they were defeated no one else was left to challenge Augustus. Now with Rome under his control Augustus could now bring peace to his country. He kept the Pax Romana, and thus sky rocketed the knowledge and well-being of agriculture, the arts, and Rome's economy. Many call him Rome's best emperor, and those after him were always compared to him.