>>212970262
You should read more about the period.
Augustus went through great pains to avoid being seen as doing just what you're describing. He was a masterful politician. He secured autocracy in a very pragmatic way -- he fucking killed all of his enemies until there was no opposition left. And then, he played the humble man in the eyes of the people. He let the senate, all bought and paid for or in absolute terror of his power, heap honors upon him so that he could be seen to publicly and deliberately refuse them.
He even had to stop the Senate from appointing him consul so other men could have a turn. They tried to appoint him once against his will and he got very pissed about it even -- it became a bit of a problem, young men were avoided the "honors race" because they felt there was no point if the Julio-Claudians had already won out.
The only title he ever accepted in the way of an acknowledgment of his power was "princeps" which just meant "First Citizen". His deification was another thing "forced upon him" by the love of the people.
He was not so sloppy as to declare himself king or emperor -- he was on another level entirely.
