50+ Lifestyles

August… named for Caesar Augustus

By Eloise Graham

Caesar Augustus or Augustus Caesar, they are interchangeable, was born Gaius Octavius Thurinius on September 23 in the year 63 BCE. He went by the name Octavian. He was adopted by his great-uncle Julius Caesar in the year 44 BCE. At that time he took the name Gaius Julius Caesar.

Julius Caesar intended for Gaius to rule Rome. He was grooming Gaius to become a great leader, and that he did.

At this point in time, Caesar was a family name, that of Julius Caesar, so when he adopted Gaius, he took on the family name of Caesar. Both were great leaders, dictators. Eventually the word Caesar became synonymous with a dictator emperor.

Augustus is not a name but a title meaning honorable. Hence, Augustus Caesar means “the Honorable Dictator Emperor.”

According to historians, Julius did his job of training Gaius quite well. Augustus Caesar is considered one of the best, if not the best Roman Emperor who ever lived.

August has a couple of obscure national days, but we should celebrate them!

First is: August 21st is National Senior Citizens Day.

By proclamation by the President of the United States of America, Proclamation 5847 — National Senior Citizens Day, 1988.

On August 19, 1988 President Reagan started the proclamation with: “Throughout our history, older people have achieved much for our families, our communities, and our country. That remains true today, and gives us ample reason this year to reserve a special
day in honor of the senior citizens who mean so much to our land. …”

Second is: August 26th is Women’s Equality Day.

In 1973, Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day,” thanks to Bella Abzug (D-NY) who proposed this. This date commemorates when the women’s right to vote became part of the U. S. Constitution, August 26, 1920.