Chronological analysis of the strengthening of Octavius compared with the errors made by Antony.
DATE (BC) Factors affecting Antony Factors affecting Octavius
42BC Battle of Philippi. With Lepidus, Antony led an armed force into Macedonia to face the conspirators who killed Caesar. The "Republican" conspirators had 19 legions at their command (about 120000 men), against the triumvir's 28 legions (about 170000). The triumvirs won resoundingly, and the leaders (Brutus and Cassius) committed suicide. Triumvirs firmly in control of Roman Government. Lepidus, the weaker triumvir, was clearly friendly towards Antony. This is exemplified by his full support against the conspirators despite Octavius' absence, and his previous support for Antony during civil war against Octavius. Battle of Philippi. Octavius was sick during the campaign, and did not play a significant role in its events. However, through his triumviral allies he had avenged the death of his uncle.
42/1BC Division of the Empire. Antony received most of Gaul, but Cisalpine Gaul was redefined as part of Italia. Influence over government in Rome, possibly reduced, as Antony was absent in the provinces to collect taxes and appease veteran soldiers. Lepidus (Antony's ally) was allocated Africa to put him at a distance from Antony and Octavius who divided the European empire between them. Division of the Empire. Octavius received the two Spanish provinces, and Sicily and Sardinia. He settled many of his veterans in Italy, giving him significant influence over the government in the capital. He was also responsible for defeating Sextius Pompey who was causing havoc in Sicily, and a major threat to Rome.
40 Triumvirate strengthened. Antony marries Octavia, sister of the similarly named triumvir. Antony moves East. Power transferred so that he controlled all provinces east of Macedonia (inclusive). Further decrease of influence in Rome as Octavius controls the west, despite the premise of "sharing Italy". Lepidus further marginalised in triumvirate. Triumvirate strengthened. Genuine(?) move by Octavius to maintain alliance through marriage. Octavius takes all of the west. All provinces west of Illyricium were taken over by Octavius' legions.
39 Sextius Pompey appeased by being given Sardinia and Sicily. Sextius Pompey appeased by being given Sardinia and Sicily.
38 Antony discouraged by expansion of Octavius. (read the right column first). Possibly disgruntled by Octavius' acquisition of more territory than was agreed, Antony attacks Octavius' breaking of the 39BC treaty. However, he still sends help to crush Pompey. Makes his capital in Athens. Decline of influence in Rome. (No evidence to suggest he had visited Rome since 41?
Caesar’s death brought turmoil to into Rome. Augustus was determined to avenge his adopted father’s death and vied with two of his chief rivals for power, Mark Antony and Lepidus. After some minor conflicts and disputes, both military and political, Augustus realized the importance and significance of making peace with his rivals. Through these small skirmishes, Antony was driven across the Alps, while Augustus was made senator and then consul. Soon after, Augustus and Antony were joined by Antony’s ally. They met and formed the Second Triumvirate to rule the Roman domains. Their alliance was sealed by a huge proscription in which 300 senators and 200 knights were killed. These were the Triumvir’s enemies.
In the year 34 B.C. Antony and Cleopatra returned to Alexandria. Hundreds of people gathered in the Gymnasium to see the couple seated on their golden thrones with their children seated right beside them. During this time Antony declared to his rival Octavian that Caesarion was Caesar’s real son and heir not Octavian. Octavian fought back by telling the Roman people that Antony had turned over all of Roman’s possessions to Cleopatra and that the couple had plans to make Alexandria the Roman capital.
During the last century of the Roman republic, the system of government was drastically changed and eventually fell apart, not only because of Marius and his military reforms, but also because of the dictatorship and proscriptions of Sulla, seven consulships of Marius, political alliances of the first and second triumvirates and the growing corruption and ineptitude of the senate.
was able to hold on to leadership of the Soviet Union. He was able to
Comparing Act 2 Scene 3 and Act 3 Scene 1 of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare
In 31BC Augustus won the battle of Actium against his former colleague in the triumvirate, but now bitter rival, Antony and the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra, after having been in the triumvirate since 43BC.
Love in William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet William Shakespeare examines the concepts of love in the tragic play
In 44 BCE, Gaius Caesar was assassinated, leaving a power vacuüm for the leadership of the Roman Republic. A ruling body known as the second triumvirate was established between the potential rulers of Rome: Gaius Octavian, Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus. In 36 BC, Octavian convinced the Senate to exile Lepidus. Shortly thereafter, tensions between Mark Antony and Octavian built. These tensions centered on Antony abandoning Octavian’s sister for Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt and Antony’s lover.
rich East, Lepidus getting the West and Octavian receiving Italy. After this in 39 B.C.
When Julius Caesar was assassinated in March 44 BC, Octavius was with the army at Apollonian, in what is now Albania. At the time, he was only eighteen years old, and his power was always underestimated by his rivals. He gathered support by emphasizing his status as heir to Caesar and took the name Gaius Julius Caesar. In Rome, after Julius Caesars death Gaius meets with Antony in Horti Pompeii, Gaius attempted to collect his legacy from Antony, who stole Caesar's papers and fortune. After taking control over the papers and Rome he, Antony, and Lepidus each received one third of Julius Caesar's empire. Augustus received the part that was Africa. After gaining more power, he defeated Lepidus for trying to take over Sicily. He finally defeated Marc Antony at the battle of Actium in 31 B.C. That same year he received another consulship and held that position for eight years. He then disbanded his armies, and held elections. Gaius Julius Caesar was then elected to Consol, the highest office in the republic. "Julius Caesar is proclaimed a god (due to a comet that appeared at games in his honor in 44) Octavian becomes "son of a god", divi filius.
The first of many problems was the collapse of the Triumvirate. The Triumvirate was one of the main parts of the government of Rome, with which there were three leaders, which at the time were Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus. This was never truly working all that great, but held itself together by the marriage of Caesar's daughter Julia, to Pompey, and the friendship Caesar and Crassus shared. But, all this came to an end when Crassus was killed in a battle against a Parthian army. Then, not too long afterwards, Julia was murdered by someone who had broken into her home. This, destroyed the bond between Caesar and Pompey, and made them drift apart. Caesar seeing all this taking place, attempted to restore the bond by proposing to Pompey's only daughter, but was not allowed to by Pompey.
.... Octavius knows Mark Antony cannot be trusted. He let it be known that he doesn’t trust Mark Antony when he said “Let us do so, for we are at stake/and bayed about with many enemies; / and some that smile have in their hearts, I fear, / Millions of mischiefs” (IV.I.48-51). Antony turned Rome against the conspirators; he could potentially turn them against Octavius. Trust is the trait of a noble man.
The Roman Republic was founded in 509 BC after the ruling Tarquins abused their extensive power as monarchs and were overthrown. The goal of the Roman Republic was to have a strong government, governed equally by the patricians and the plebians, and to avoid another Roman Monarchy. For years Rome was guided by great men, such as Cincinnatus and Scipio Africanus, who led the Republic through hard times, conquering such enemies as the Etruscans and the Carthaginians. Large-scale war united Roman society in its common goals. However, after Scipio’s victory at Zama in 202 BC, a new Roman world began to take shape. Roman soldiers returned home from their victory to find that they could not pay for their farms, becoming “squatters” on their own lands after having to sell them to richer men. The Senate became corrupted, and despite the Gracchi brothers’ best efforts, the rich patricians soon monopolized nearly all aspects of the Republic, from trading and “farming” to governing the people. After marching on Rome, Sulla became dictator in 82 BC. After Sulla, the First Triumvirate: Pompey, Crassus, and Caesar, owned virtually all power in Rome, yet each had his own desire to defeat the other two and become Emperor. When Crassus died in battle, Caesar had his chance. He defeated Pompey and marched on Rome, victorious. After declaring himself Dictator for Life, Caesar was assassinated, and another Civ...
Antony was born the son of “a man of no great repute in public life, nor illustrious, but kindly and honest, and particularly a liberal giver.” Some fifty years later, Mark Antony died in the arms of one of the most famous and stirring women in history. He had served at the highest positions attainable in the politically savage world of the Roman Empire after the chaos that ensued with the death of Julius Caesar. Plutarch’s Antony tells the tale of not only one of the most pronounced and controversial figures in Roman history, but delineates Antony’s personality, character, and nature along with his mighty accomplishments, which some may say were achieved in spite of his traits not because of them. Plutarch’s message, however truthful, leans
... from him by Rome. Octavian declared war on Antony and Cleopatra in 32 B.C. (Arab). It soon became clear to her that her dreams of power could not come true with him at her side (Cleopatra). Cleopatra then locked herself in her room with two servants and word got to Antony that she was supposedly dead; Antony tried to kill himself, he fell on his sword but did not die. “As he laid suffering, a messenger came to him bearing the heartbreaking truth; The first message had been false. Cleopatra was alive, barricaded in her tomb” (Stanly). When Antony was brought into Cleopatra he died in her arms (History). After Antonys death Cleopatra too, killed herself by a snakebite. She died on August 12. 30 B.C., at the age of 39 (History). Octavian put Caesarion to death ending the family’s long rule of Egypt. Egypt then became part of the Roman Empire (Cleapatra).