While some senators thought they could save the republic by killing julius caesar and taking back the powers of government, his death actually sped up the change from a republic to an empire. why was the senate unsuccessful in regaining control of the republic? octavius pretended to support the senate but then threw them out of rome. the senate didn’t have the support of the governors in the far-away provinces. octavius inherited caesar’s wealth and was able to stay in power as emperor. the senate was divided amongst themselves over which of them should be the next emperor.