In 42 BC , Julius Caesar was formally deified as " the divine Julius " ( '' divus Iulius '' ) after his assassination . His adopted son , Octavian ( better known as Augustus , a title given to him 15 years later , in 27 BC ) thus became known as '' divi Iuli filius '' ( son of the divine Julius ) or simply '' divi filius '' ( son of the god ) . As a daring and unprecedented move , Augustus used this title to advance his political position in the Second Triumvirate , finally overcoming all rivals for power within the Roman state
assassination
Assassination of Julius Caesar
Son of God