National Roman Museum, Palazzo Massimo | The Statue of Augustus, Rome. 20 AD: Augustus was the founder of the Roman Empire and its first Emperor, ruling from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD. The reign of Augustus was an era of relative peace known as the Pax Romana (The Roman Peace). He largely rebuilt the Rome during his reign. He said, I found Rome a city of bricks and left it a city of marble.