The book is divided into two parts, the beginning chronicling his rise to power, the latter describing his rule thereafter, and the familial problems faced choosing a successor.

Told through various letters and fragments, Augustus begins when Gaius Octavius Thurinus is 17 and is called away from his mother by his great-uncle, Julius Caesar, who reveals he intends to groom the boy to be his successor.

Octavius Caesar then arranges a secret meeting with Marc Antony in order to consolidate their power, joining with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus to anoint themselves "Triumvirs".

After the assassinations of the Triumvirs senatorial enemies, Rome is brought to an uneasy peace though Octavius Caesar and Antony continue to regard each other with deep suspicion.

To confirm their uneasy alliance Antony marries Octavius Caesar's sister, Octavia the Younger, however his interests lie in Egypt with Cleopatra and in the unsuccessful attempts to conquer new territory.

As tensions increase, Antony seeks to engage Octavius Caesar in civil war, however he loses the Battle of Actium and commits suicide shortly thereafter.

Unlike other women of her era, Octavius Caesar insists on giving his daughter an education closer to that of a male child.

Fearing death, and desperate to protect the line of succession he marries Julia to her cousin, and his niece to Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.

The political maneuverings put Octavius Caesar at odds with his sister, Octavia, and his wife, Livia, who had hoped that Julia would marry her son from her first marriage, Tiberius.

50 years later, Octavius' final physician reflects on what little he knew of the man and hopes that the newly named emperor Nero will once again bring stability to Rome.

[2] Critics overwhelmingly praised the narrative of Augustus while critiquing the lack of speaking time Williams gives the title character.