Mark+Antony+and+Octavian

Mark Antony and Octavian

 * Audience - Jack Gillette**

Mark Antony and Octavian's "audience" was all of rome and arguably more. These two men were of great power for most of their lives. Both being powerful leaders and politicians At a point in their careers, the two of them (along with Lepidus) formed the Second Triumvirate. The relationship between the two, especially in terms of the Triumvirate and later their wars against each other; was documented by many people and were seen as very important events in Rome's history. The Final War of the Roman Republic was result of their growing disagreements. This event alone stands as a "turning point" in Rome's timeline. During the Battle of Aticum, Mark Antony seeing that he lost committed suicide. Thus, ending their relationship eternally.



**Aim - Emmalee Mauldin**
Marcus Antonius (aka Mark Antony) and Gaius Octavius (aka Octavian, aka Augustus Caesar) began as enemies in the beginning of Octavian's rule. Octavian later beat Antony at Modena and they combined forces to battle the assassins who were against Caesar; the victors later separated again, Antony to the east and Octavian to the west. Antony married Octavian's sister, Octavia, and then was claimed to have married Cleopatra which added more tension to their strained relationship. Both men were the successors of a higher ruler to their nation, and both strived to expand their empires. They attempted to make their own governments better and stronger, so they wouldn’t be able to crash and be destroyed easily. Octavian and Antony wanted their empires to become the most powerful nations in the world. Octavian wished to protect Caesar, and his sister, from those who wanted to kill and harm them. Mark Antony planned to expand his empire over to Egypt to combine his and Cleopatra’s empires’ together, but still wanted to remained married to Octavia, something that was almost impossible. Even with their differences, both men had achieved their goals, at least for a period of time, and lived out their lives. Works Cited "HISTORY OF AUGUSTUS CAESAR." //HISTORY OF AUGUSTUS CAESAR//. History World, n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. .

"Mark Antony : Biography." //Spartacus Educational//. Spartacus Educational, n.d. Web. 18 Oct. 2012. .

Audience - Jack

After Caesar's death Octavian was his automatic heir. He and Marc Antony had to share the power of being the overall leader of Rome until there was the creation of the "Second Triumvirate" which was the name given to the three leaders of Rome. March Antony and Octavian split their land into two parts, each of them controlling one of the two halves. Marc Antony was married to Octavian's sister, Octavia. But after a run in with Cleopatra Marc Antony had cheated on her and had twins with Cleopatra. He then openly divorced Octavia which infuriated the people and senates of Rome as well as Octavian. They outlawed Antony and declared war on Cleopatra over the breakup. Cleopatra was beaten first and then Antony was abandoned by his own men and then also fell. Cleopatra and Antony were beaten and then the two committed suicide shortly after the war. Octavian was then named, "Augustus" and took over the land Antony had control over. Augustus was then made the leader of Rome over all, becoming the first Emperor of Rome. His reign also marked the very beginning of one of the most successful and powerful empires in history.
 * Historical - Kara Jellesma**

Works Cited: "Antony, Octavian, Cleopatra." //Antony, Octavian, Cleopatra//. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Oct. 2012. .

"The Last Days of the Republic: Octavian, Antony, and Cleopatra." //â Notre Dame OpenCourseWare//. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2012. .


 * Cultural - Mary Francine B. de los Santos**

Marcus Antonius and Gaius Octavius, or Mark Antony and Octavian as they are more commonly referred to, were two very real figures in the history of the Roman Republic. Both men, though hostile towards each other, were loyal to Julius Caesar, the only remaining member of Rome's First Triumvirate and subsequent dictator; the latter of the pair is, in fact, Caesar's great-nephew. Prior to Caesar's death, they don't bear any real significance, except for Mark Antony's marriage to Octavian's sister and Octavian being Caesar's ideal successor. After Caesar's assassination and the death of Brutus and Cassius (the main conspirators), Octavian focuses on Rome as a third of the Second Triumvirate, but Mark Antony find it in his interests to travel east to Egypt, "into regions which he will find increasingly seductive, in the arms of Cleopatra" ("History World"). When Octavian learns of this, he promptly drives war onto them both by barring the passage back to Rome, and the lovers commit suicide as a result. The only remaining member of the Second Triumvirate is named Augustus Caesar by the Senate, and Augustus is able to use his military tactics to expand the territories of the Republic, marking its transformation into the "glorious" Roman Empire. The Mark Antony and Octavian made a lasting impact on the culture of Rome as well as other cultures worldwide. They represent the rivalry in rule and the possession of "power," but also have come to be representatives of wholesome and unrelenting revenge for a single cause under warring factions. The story of Mark Antony and Cleopatra shows the ultimate sacrifice in "doomed, star-crossed love" even today, and they were even mentioned in Dante's //Inferno// as inhabitants of the Second Circle of Hell for their "sins of lust". Augustus Caesar, on the other hand, is a symbol of "power" and "glory" in regards to his reign over the Roman Empire. He is a model emperor, the leader of an empire that lasted for around a millennium and was replicated to no avail by others as the Persians and Byzantines, to name a couple. Mark Antony and Augustus, even in the smallest bit, bear cultural and historical significance around the world in such a way that they are significant even over two thousand years after their time.

Works Cited "History of Augustus Caesar." History World. N.p.. Web. 21 Oct 2012. . "Mark Antony." History. N.p.. Web. 21 Oct 2012. .