What was the birth name of Augustus?

• A. Lepidus
• B. Octavius/Octavian
• C. Augustus
• D. Pilum

Answer: (C)

A birth name versus a later title is what this question is teasing out. Augustus was born as Gaius Octavius Thurinus, and in sources he is usually called Octavius or Octavian during his early career. After Julius Caesar adopted him, his name became Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, combining Caesar’s nomen with his own. It wasn’t until 27 BCE that the Senate granted him the honorific title Augustus, signaling his new status as ruler and the start of the imperial era. So the name that reflects his birth identity is Octavius/Octavian, not Augustus. Lepidus is a different Roman figure, Pilum is a type of spear, and Augustus refers to the later title he received, not his birth name.