SH+2014-15+P5+Mark+Antony+and+Octavian

Historical (Conner)-

Mark Antony was a Roman politician and he also played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic becoming the Roman Empire. Antony supported and was also a military leader for Julius Caesar. Octavian was Julius Caesar’s adopted son and heir. After Caesar’s assassination in 44 B.C.E, Mark Antony and Octavian joined forces with one of Caesar’s generals Marcus Lepidus to form a three man dictatorship called the second triumvirate. “In 41 B.C. Antony began an affair with the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, who had been Caesar’s lover in the last years of his life” (History 1). Later on Lepidus was sent into Exile by Octavian which just left Octavian and Antony in power over Rome. While Antony was in Egypt with Cleopatra, Octavian was growing in power and strength so Octavian went into Alexandria. Mark Antony had thought that Cleopatra was dead and he stabbed himself because Cleopatra was “dead”. Eventually Mark Antony was brought to die in Cleopatra’s arms. With the death of Mark Antony, only Octavian was left from the second triumvirate and now Octavian has complete rule over Rome. Octavian had changed his name to a much more traditional name of Caesar Augustus. Augustus is known as the founder of the Roman Empire and he was the very first Emperor and he was the ruled until his death in 14 A.D.

History.com Staff. “Mark Antony” History.com, 2009. web. November 02, 2014

PBS. “The Roman Empire: The First Century” PBS.com, 2006. web. November 02, 2014

Cultural (Genevieve)-

The modern cultural impact of Mark Antony and Octavian is Mark Antony was an ally of Julius Caesar but he was not an ally of Octavian who was heir to the throne after Julius Caesar. Octavians and Mark Antonys armies went against each other. Although Mark Antony had lost to Octavian’s army they decided to from both of their armies together. Mark Antony and Octavian formed th after Julius Caesar had died.” Meanwhile Octavian grew in strength, eliminating Lepidus from the triumvirate on a pretext of rebellion. In 32 B.C. Antony divorced Octavia. In retaliation, Octavian declared war, not on Antony but on Cleopatra. The fighting occurred in western Greece, where Antony had superior numbers but fell time and again to the brilliant naval attacks of Octavian’s general Agrippa ” (1). Antony and Octavian relationship was never really stable. They were enemies, then they combined their armies and formed a triumvirate, then they clashed when Antony thought Cleopatra was dead and married Octavia. He later divorced Octavia and because of this Octavian declared war. Antony had an affair not knowing this, with Cleopatra after Cleopatra was with Julius Caesar before he died. Antony later killed himself in Alexandria Egypt while Octavian was invading Alexandria. Cleopatra also killed herself because she wanted to be with him together.



A&E. "Mark Antony Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 2014. Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

McManus, Barbara F. "Antony, Octavian, Cleopatra." Antony, Octavian, Cleopatra. N.p., Aug. 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Aim (Gavyn)-

Mark Antony prevailed as a politician, as well as a general of the Roman population. Anthony’s purpose and role in society was to the protection of Caesar. Yet when Caesar had passed do to a civil war of his people, Julius’s will was read to give his cherishes to a young 17 year old, Octavian (Later Augustus). Antony was skeptical though, believing a country should not be given to such a young boy, thus starting the nemesis rivalship between Antony, and Octavian. History informs, “ In his will Caesar had bequeathed his wealth and title to his posthumously adopted son Octavian. Antony was reluctant to hand his old friend’s legacy to a 17-year-old, and quickly became a rival to the future emperor. In 43 B.C. their armies first clashed” (History 1). With the rivalship leading to wars, Antony was driven back at Mutina and Forum Gallorum, but had proved a well enough leader that Octavian decided to ally with Antony. After this truce and allyship, and new addition, Lepidus, Octavian and Antony formed the Second Triumvirate, splitting Rome’s provinces between them. Octavian would rule the West, Antony to rule the East and Lepidus to rule Africa. Within a year, Antony defeats Caesar’s assassins Brutus and Antonius, eliminating the two remaining leaders of the Republican in a battle that established his reputation as a general. With Antony’s major role as the second hand after Caesars death, and with the help of a former enemy, Octavian, Rome might have just been spared due to their ally-ship.



Staff, History .com. "Mark Antony." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.

McManus, Barbara F. "Antony, Octavian, Cleopatra." Antony, Octavian, Cleopatra. N.p., Aug. 2009. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Audience (Noelle)-

Mark Antony and Octavian were important figures in Roman history that played a part in forming a better Roman Republic. A reading about Antony and Octavian states, “ It was agreed that the [|Roman Empire] would be divided between the two men, Octavian looking after western Europe and Antony, the eastern territories” (Antony and Cleopatra 1). Because of their control of most of Europe, Europeans closely watched Antony and Octavian’s moves of control. The people under the two rulers had to oblige by the laws made by the Roman. As time continued, Antony and Octavian’s relationship with each other became strained because of Antony’s affair with Cleopatra. The people of the Roman territories had to be aware of the war slowly brewing between the two leaders because Rome was now on the side of Octavian. Antony had power over the western territories, which became under the control of Octavian after Antony’s suicide. Octavian was then the sole ruler of all the empire of Rome, and Antony and Octavian’s “audience” was now under the power of Octavian.



Simkin, John. "Spartacus Educational." Spartacus Educational. N.p., 1997. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.

Buchan, John. "The Timeline of the Life of Octavian, Caesar Augustus." The Timeline of the Life of Octavian, Caesar Augustus. N.p., 1937. Web. 19 Oct. 2014.