How much the historical Caius Julius Caesar Octavianus — better known as Octavian — resembled his high-cheekboned, intense counterpart on HBO’s Rome is debatable, but the historical Octavian did indeed come to Rome after Brutus and Cassius murdered Julius Ceasear, his grand-uncle. There he found Rome ruled by Marc Antony, who was urging amnesty for the killers. Octavian would have none of it, and convinced the consul to come to his side.

On this day, August 19, in 43 B.C., at just twenty years of age but with the full military might of Rome behind him, Octavian was inaugurated Augustus Ceasar.

Before Octavian ever got up in front of the Senate, he went to war against and defeated Marc Antony at the battle of Mutina. Popular with his troops, and with no one to stop him, Octavian marched on Rome where he forced the Senate to accept him as ruler. Three months later he made peace with Marc Anthony, and divided the Roman Empire into three sections: Antony took the East portions, including Gaul; Octavian took Spain and Sardinia; and a third partner,  of the triumvirate, M. Aemilius Lepidus took Africa.