There is much to be said about classical Rome, with all the ancient city-states and notable historic figures like Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Augustus. The Roman Empire, which was formerly called the Roman Republic, favored aristocracy and maintained a government staffed by aristocrats who advised on policy and selected magistrates, with the senate serving as the center of Roman political life. Rome also had many military commanders who helped expand Roman territory and wealth by conquering lands, enslaving prisoners, and establishing trade; however, this disgruntled some Romans who didn’t like the fact that foreigners were gaining Roman citizenship. Consequently, larger gaps of difference between the rich and poor grew, making it difficult for Rome to maintain a balanced constitution, which created much political unrest in Rome. Even with all the political mayhem in Rome, one man was able to rise up from being a misguided youth, to become a prominent military leader, and ultimately, after death becoming a world-renowned historic figure. His name was Marc Antony.
Marcus Antonius (Marc Antony) was born in 83 B.C, in Rome, to parents Marcus Antonius Creticus and Julia Caesar (Julius Caesar’s cousin). Antony was born during a period, in the first century of the Roman Republic, which was marked by many social wars (91B.C. – 71B.C.). During this time, Antony was a youth with a very promising future, with socially elite parents and access to a good education. However, his future became shaken when he met his childhood friend Curio, who turned Antony unto a lifestyle filled with women, drinking, and gambling (Bio.com). So much so, that at an early age Antony owed a gambling debt of 250 talents (Plutarch). Staff at Ancient.edu, points out ...
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...me and legacy from the history books, but here I am today, nearly 2000 thousand years’ later, reading and conducting a research report on his famed, yet troubled life. It just goes to show, you just can’t keep a good man down.
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From ages past, the actions of conquerors, kings and tyrants had brought the Roman Republic to a stance that opposed any idea of a singular leader, of a single man that held total power over the entirety of the state. Their rejection of the various ruthless Etruscan rulers that had previously dictated them brought the Republic to existence in 509 BC , and as a republic their prominence throughout the provinces of the world exponentially expanded. Throughout these years, the traditions of the Romans changed to varying degrees, most noticeably as a result of the cultural influence that its subject nations had upon the republic, as well as the ever-changing nature of Roman society in relation to then-current events. However, it was not until the rise of Augustus, the first of a long line of succeeding emperors, that many core aspects of the Republic were greatly changed. These were collectively known as the “Augustan Reforms”, and consisted of largely a variety of revisions to the social, religious, political, legal and administrative aspects of the republic’s infrastructure. Through Augustus, who revelled in the old traditional ways of the past, the immoral, unrestraint society that Rome was gradually falling to being was converted to a society where infidelities and corruption was harshly looked upon and judged. The Roman historian Suetonius states, “He corrected many ill practices, which, to the detriment of the public, had either survived the licentious habits of the late civil wars, or else originated in the long peace” . Through Augustus and his reforms, the Republic was transformed into an Empire, and through this transformation, Rome experienced one of its greatest and stabl...
By saying this, Antony is showing how he was as a friend To Caesar and is showing his loyalty and faith to him to tell the audience how great Caesar was.
Caesar came from an old patrician family, where he received an education, and began his journey into a political career (Hart 337). He started just as any man would trying to make something of himself and not die the same way he was born, average. Without having conquered Gaul and crossed the Rubicon he would just be another politician in a corrupted government. “Julius Caesar reached a mature age without achieving astonishing success (qtd. Hart 7). Unlike rulers like Alexander The Great, Caesar was into his 50’s with nothing to show for it. The most influential people are usually geniuses or prodigies that can’t help but make a difference in the world. Unlike people like Einstein who mastered Calculus before he was 15 he was just a white sheep amongst others.
The Roman Republic had an upstanding infrastructure, a stable social system, and a balanced constitution that solidified Rome’s greatness. Regardless of its achievements, however, the Roman Republic owes much of its success to classical Greek cultures. These cultures, in conjunction with the fundamental values of Roman society, certified Rome as one of the most significant powers the world has ever seen.
Pliny the Elder. [Letters 3.14. As The Romans Did 2nd ed.] ed. Jo-Ann Shelton. (New York:
Gaius Julius Caesar was born on the 12th of July 100BCE to his father, a Praetor who governed the province of Asia, and his mother Aurelia Cotta, who was of noble birth. The family held Populare ideologies which favoured democracy and extended rights for the lower classes. As opposed to the Optimates whose sole focus was on superiority and nobility (Vroma.org, 2011).
Morey, William C. "Outlines of Roman History, Chapter 19." Forum Romanum. 1901. Web. 24 Apr. 2011. .
.... “My heart doth joy that yet, in all my life,/ I found no man but he was true to me./ I shall have glory by this losing day,/ More than Octavius and Mark Antony/ By this vile conquest shall attain unto” (996).
Antony Kamm ~ The Romans: An Introduction Second Edition, Published in 2008, pages 47, 93
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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...
Pelling, Chris. "UCL Department of Greek & Latin." The Ancient Olympics. 28 Aug. 2015. Web. 16 Oct. 2015.
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