Augustus, born Gaius Octavius, was the first Roman Emperor, reigning from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. As the great-nephew and adopted son of Julius Caesar, he emerged as the victor of the final war of the Roman Republic. His long reign initiated an era of relative peace known as the Pax Romana, a period of stability and prosperity for the Roman Empire. He reformed the Roman system of taxation, developed networks of roads, established a standing army, and created official police and fire-fighting services for Rome.