He was a great man's grand-nephew, which is insignificant until we remember his great-uncle was Julius Caesar and Julius Caesar had no sons. Augustus Caesar reaped all the benefits he could from his nephewship, including the fact his uncle was declared immortal and that he was more to Julius than merely someone one endured during the holidays. The result was a royal family, for Julius set a regal example Augustus emulated, a powerful nation that changed from republic to monarchy, and an empire. Eck (history, Cologne U.) does not shirk from closely describing Augustus, who had himself declared immortal in short order, and also the excesses of his very weird family, but also details the great building projects and urban designs, the military victories, and the administrative capabilities strong enough to create and hold a vast empire, at least for a time. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)