CHAPTER III

Summary

Cotavian, Princeps of the Romans, 954

The youthful Octavian, son of Alberic by Alda, was recognised without opposition as Princeps and Senator of all the Romans on his father's death. The young ruler continued the temporal government of his father according to the accustomed forms. No Roman coins of this period have come down to us, but undoubtedly Octavian must have had coins engraved with his name and his title of Princeps. He was little more than sixteen years old when he was called to government. In his pride and ambition Alberic had bestowed the name of Octavian on the boy, thus perhaps giving expression to the audacious hope that his race might rise to Imperial greatness. In this hope he was deceived. Even during the pontificate of Agapitus, the papal claims had found an increased number of adherents, and the German power in the distance had assumed threatening proportions. Alberic himself destined the papal crown for his son ; he intended that under this son the temporal power should be reunited to the Papacy, and he thus drew Roman history back into its ancient path.