Octavius/ Augustus - hero or villain?

[Ludens]

Any Emperor who had avoided the purges would almost certainly have faced continued rebellion and civil war from those who opposed his rule. The previous 100 years of Roman history shows that. Is it more enlightened to avoid personal responsibility for bloodshed, even if that leads to more deaths in the long-term, or is it more enlightened to actively kill people and thus bring about long-term stability? That seems more like a question for philosophers than for historians.

True enough. A good leader does not necesarily equate to a good man. And times of chaos tend to weed out all but the most ruthless of leaders, so Rome could be grateful it wasn't worse. But I would define a hero as someone who sacrifices himself for the greater good; Octavius sacrificed others for the greater good.