What was the biggest mistake Augustus Caesar made?

Augustus Caesar was a great leader of Rome. He ruled for 41 years, from 27 B.C. to 14 A.D. There were many accomplishments during the time he ruled Rome including beginning the approximate 200 years of peace known as the Pax Romana. He also increased the reach of the Roman Empire and built new roads and aqueducts.

However, there was one major error that he made. There was no clear path to determine who would take over after his death. While the Roman Senate and the people could have possibly chosen a leader, that likely would have plunged Rome into internal conflict. Since Augustus claimed that he had no more power than others in the Roman government, he really couldn’t name a successor. While Augustus favored certain individuals, the lack of a clear plan of succession eventually led to turmoil and to a slow destabilization of the Roman government as time passed.