The idea of literally writing one's own memory continues from Augustus to Thomas Jefferson. Thomas Jefferson, like Augustus, wrote what he wanted to be remembered for. In contrast, unlike Augustus, Jefferson did not list every single positive thing but instead selected his most important three: being the author of the Declaration of Independence, the author of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom, and Father of the University of Virginia. The differences in the length of both men's inscriptions most likely stem from the fact that Augustus wanted to be remembered as a benevolent leader, during a golden age of abundance. On the other hand, Jefferson wanted to be remembered for his work on preserving freedom for the people and expanding the minds of the youth.
Wanting to have a say in one's legacy is not new, but the motivations from the ancient world to today have changed, at least in the context of Rome versus America or an empire versus a democratic republic.
The notion of inevitable death and the need to leave a lasting mark on the world are not new concepts. For as long has civilization existed, people have wanted to be remembered and be known for their skills or achievements. The idea of forging one's own legacy is an ancient idea that is shown in the pursuit of glory in Homer's Iliad and other ancient Greek epics. Though the ancients strived to create a legacy for themselves, through glory, Emperor Augustus took taking charge of one's legacy to new levels. Augustus wrote the piece, Res Gestae, that was to be engraved on the Ara Pacis, his mausoleum. The Res Gestae was Augustus' way of consolidating his rule in Rome and to immortalize himself. Augustus listed every positive thing he did for the empire to show his benevolence. He referenced the amount of money he spent to build temples and put on public productions. The inscription is essentially Augustus bragging about his generosity and great leadership.
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Making One's Legacy