This is a continuation of last year's course on 'The Republic', although newcomers will be most welcome. After a review of 'the Republic' and of the dominance of Julius Caesar in the 40s BC, we will turn to the work of Caesar's heir Octavian (the future 'Augustus') over more than 44 years to restore stability and establish the new system of 'the Empire' on a sound footing. We will look not only at his military, administrative, constitutional and social reforms but also at the status and role of the members of his household (e.g. his wife Livia, daughter Julia and his grandchildren) and his struggle to find an heir. Thereafter we will look at the administrations and households of the members of the 'Julio-Claudian Dynasty' (Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero), before turning to the three members of 'the Flavian Dynasty', founded after the civil war of AD 69.