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Mark Antony

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TheAlaniDragonRising View Drop Down
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  Quote TheAlaniDragonRising Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Mark Antony
    Posted: 02-Sep-2012 at 09:44
I recently was pointed in the direction of a series called Rome by my fiancée, and very enjoyable it was. On the series I was reminded of Mark Antony, for which at times was a little disparaging of the man, and his abilities. However, television series aside, Mark Antony seems to have been a larger than life character with supporters, as well as those not too keen. Here we have a short biography that you may want to read, or not. However you may want to vote on his qualities, and comment about him.

Mark Antony


Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) was born in Rome in 83 B.C. He was related on his mother's side to Julius Caesar. He was from a prominent noble family and served under Caesar in Gaul (53-50 B.C.).

Mark Antony went to Rome to become tribune of the plebs in 49 B.C. He was expelled from the senate and fled back to the Roman Army. The following year he led the left-wing of Caesar's army at Pharsalia. After defeating Pompey, he was left to govern Italy during Caesar's absence in Africa.

When Julius Caesar returned to Rome he appointed 300 of his supporters as members of the Senate. Although the Senate and Public Assembly still met, it was Caesar who now made all the important decisions. By 44 BC Caesar was powerful enough to declare himself dictator for life. Although in the past Roman leaders had become dictators in times of crisis, no one had taken this much power.

Caesar began wearing long red boots. As the ancient kings used to wear similar boots, rumours began to spread that Caesar planned to make himself king. Caesar denied these charges but the Roman people, who had a strong dislike of the kingship system, began to worry about the way Caesar was dominating political life.

Rumours began to spread that Julius Caesar planned to make himself king. Plutarch wrote: "What made Caesar hated was his passion to be king." Caesar denied these charges but the Roman people, who had a strong dislike of the kingship system, began to worry about the way Caesar made all the decisions. Even his friends complained that he was no longer willing to listen to advice. Finally, a group of senators decided to kill Caesar.

Even some of Caesar's closest friends were concerned about his unwillingness to listen to advice. Eventually, a group of 60 men, including Marcus Brutus, rumoured to be one of Caesar's illegitimate sons, decided to assassinate Caesar.

Plans were made to carry out the assassination in the Senate just three days before he was due to leave forParthia. When Julius Caesar arrived at the Senate a group of senators gathered round him. Publius Servilius Casca stabbed him from behind. Caesar looked round for help but now the rest of the group pulled out their daggers. One of the first men Caesar saw was Brutus and was reported to have declared, "You too, my son." Caesar knew it was useless to resist and pulled his toga over his head and waited for the final blows to arrive.

At Caesar's funeral, Mark Antony was chosen to give the eulogy. During his speech, he removed the toga from Caesar's body to show the crowd the stab wounds, pointing at each one naming with men who had struck the blows. However, Cicero later commented: "Caesar subjected the Roman people to oppression... Is there anyone, except Mark Antony who did not wish for his death or who disapproved of what was done?... Some didn't know of the plot, some lacked courage, others the opportunity. None lacked the will."

Mark Antony also published Caesar's will which revealed that he had left 300 sesterces to every man inRome. Caesar also stated in his will that his impressive gardens were to become parks for the people who lived in the city. This action helped Mark Antony to gain political influence over the people of Rome.

At various periods between 49 and 47 Mark Antony administered Italy when Julius Caesar was absent. He was therefore well-placed to assume leadership of the Caesar faction in Rome. Mark Antony allied himself with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus in a joint bid for power. However, they were challenged by Caesar's great nephew and adopted son, Octavian. The three men met on an island in a river near Mutina and formed the Second Triumvirate. In doing so, they brought an end to Republican Rome. When the Senate attempted to regain control, Antony and Octavian had 130 of them murdered. Their property was seized and given to those willing to support the new rulers.

Marcus Brutus and Gaius Cassius were defeated by Mark Antony and Octavian at the Battle of Philippi in October 42 BC. After the battle Octavian returned to Rome and Mark Antony went on to govern the east, whereas Marcus Aemilius Lepidus went on to govern Hispania and the province of Africa.

Fulvia, Mark Antony's wife, was also active in Roman politics. To solidify the political alliance, Fulvia offered her daughter, Clodia, to Octavian. Clodia became his wife but she was later returned when Octavian marriedScribonia. According to Suetonius, Octavian's marriage with Clodia was never consummated and that she was returned in "mint" condition.

Fulvia saw this as an insult to her family and she decided to take action. Together with Mark Antony's brother, Lucius Antonius, she raised eight legions in Italy to fight against Octavian. The army occupied Rome for a short time, but eventually retreated to Perusia. Octavian besieged Fulvia and Lucius Antonius in the winter of 41 - 40 B.C., starving them into surrender. Fulvia was exiled to Sicyon. Lucius Antonius, was sent by Octavian to Hispania as governor. To show his commitment to his partner, Mark Antony divorced Fulvia and married Octavian's sister Octavia.

It was while he was in Egypt that Mark Antony met Cleopatra. Like Julius Caesar before him, Mark Antony soon fell in love with the Queen of Egypt. They formed a close alliance as Mark Antony set about reorganizing the eastern provinces.

In 40 B.C. the Parthians invaded Roman territory, occupying Syria, advancing into Asia Minor and installingAntigonus as puppet king in Judaea. Mark Antony sent his general Publius Ventidius to oppose this invasion.

Octavian now agreed for Mark Antony to retaliate by invading Parthia. However, the rebellion in Sicily ofSextus Pompeius kept the army promised to Mark Antony in Italy. This caused a dispute with Octavian but a new treaty was signed in Tarentum in 38 BC.

Mark Antony returned to Egypt and persuaded Cleopatra to lend him the money he needed to form an alliance with Herod the Great. In 37 BC, Herod and the Roman Army took back Judaea. Herod turnedAntigonus over to Mark Antony, who had him beheaded.

Mark Antony now felt strong enough to invade Parthia. However, with an army of about 100,000 Roman and allied troops but the campaign proved a disaster and after several military defeats Mark Antony was forced to carry out an humiliating retreat.

Octavian now decided to destroy the triumvirate by forming a new alliance with the traditional Republican aristocracy. Marcus Aemilius Lepidus was forced to resign and Octavian began attacking Mark Antony for abandoning his faithful wife, Octavia, to be with the promiscuous Cleopatra. Octavian claimed that Cleopatra was attempting to gain control of the Roman Empire by marrying Mark Antony. Cleopatra replied that her son Caesarion, and not Octavian, was Caesar's true heir.

Octavian responded by declaring war on Cleopatra. Although some Roman legions supported Mark Antony, the vast majority took the side of Octavian.

In 31 BC Octavian defeated Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium on the west coast of Greece. Mark Antony and Cleopatra were forced to flee to Alexandria in Egypt. When Octavian's troops surrounded Alexandria, Mark Antony committed suicide by falling on his sword.

Cleopatra was captured by Octavian who planned to take her back to Rome as his prisoner. However, she was determined not to be humiliated in this way and arranged for a poisonous snake to be smuggled into her room in a large box of figs. Cleopatra then committed suicide by allowing the snake to bite her.

Cleopatra had earlier sent her son Caesarion into hiding but he was betrayed by his tutor. When Octavian found out where Caesarion was he had him murdered but spared Cleopatra's three children by Mark Antony.

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/ROMmarkantony.htm

What a handsome figure of a dragon. No wonder I fall madly in love with the Alani Dragon now, the avatar, it's a gorgeous dragon picture.
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  Quote Don Quixote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Sep-2012 at 10:31
I like him as a person. He was loyal to Caesar, even after his death, and legitimized his son; was honest, generous, and pretty much kept his promises; his soldiers loved him. In the end he lost, but, so what, we all lose in death anyway. Octavian used hm, was unfair to him, betrayed him for te Parthian expedition, blamed him for everything so he get rid of him - if success comes at such moral cost usually the better man loses, as Antony did, nd it's not shameful, but honorable. This is my opinion anyway.
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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Sep-2012 at 10:35
I hold him as pretty low on the ladder. He failed at Actium and Parthia. He revolted and established his oen kingdom with Cleopatra in Egypt. A good general and administrator but nothing really special.
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  Quote Don Quixote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Sep-2012 at 10:56
He revolted because he was pushed into it - Octavian was pushing him ouf of Rome, he had to be no one or to find some other way - which he did with Cleopatra in Egypt. He was on the run really, because of Octavian's power drive.
And yes, he failed, it happens. I still like him.
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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Sep-2012 at 11:05
Even if you like someone they have faults :p. anyway he still revolted and started a civil war.
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  Quote Don Quixote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Sep-2012 at 12:47
He didn't start it, Octavian did, he pressed him out.
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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Sep-2012 at 13:03
Conflict soon arose, and, as on other occasions, Antony resorted to violence. Hundreds of citizens were killed and Rome itself descended into a state of anarchy. Caesar was most displeased with the whole affair and removed Antony from all political responsibilities. The two men did not see each other for two years. The estrangement was not of long continuance, with Antony meeting the dictator at Narbo (45 BC) and rejecting the suggestion of Trebonius that he should join in the conspiracy that was already afoot. Reconciliation arrived in 44 BC, when Antony was chosen as partner for Caesar's fifth consulship.

He killed quite a few people here and supported Caesar.

Antony, left as sole Consul, surrounded himself with a bodyguard of Caesar's veterans and forced the senate to transfer to him the province of Cisalpine Gaul, which was then administered by Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus, one of the conspirators. Brutus refused to surrender the province and Antony set out to attack him in the beginning of 43 BC, besieging him at Mutina.

Used troops to force the senates decision.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Antony#section_1

Again with Egyptian money, Antony invaded Armenia, this time successfully. In the return, a mock Roman Triumph was celebrated in the streets of Alexandria. The parade through the city was a pastiche of Rome's most important military celebration. For the finale, the whole city was summoned to hear a very important political statement. Surrounded by Cleopatra and her children, Antony ended his alliance with Octavian.

He distributed kingdoms between his children: Alexander Helios was named king of Armenia, Media and Parthia (which were never conquered by Rome), his twin Selene got Cyrenaica and Libya, and the young Ptolemy Philadelphus was awarded Syria and Cilicia. As for Cleopatra, she was proclaimed Queen of Kings and Queen of Egypt, to rule with Caesarion (Ptolemy XV Caesar, son of Cleopatra by Julius Caesar), King of Kings and King of Egypt. Most important of all, Caesarion was declared legitimate son and heir of Caesar. These proclamations were known as the Donations of Alexandria and caused a fatal breach in Antony's relations with Rome.

He played his own part in starting the war.




Edited by Delenda est Roma - 02-Sep-2012 at 13:05
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  Quote Don Quixote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Sep-2012 at 02:16
Well, what was supposed to do - stay and look like some bozo? Of course,, he was being pushed out of Rome and went to cut his own piece. But he did what Octavian didn't even contemplating doing - te legalized Cesarion, clamed him as a successor of Caesar; this is nobility if I even seen one. What did Octavian do - hunted down cesarion and killed him; how nice for a person who claimed such and such relation to Caesar.

Besides, didn't Caesar also start a Civil war? So what so smaful thing is that to start one anyway, Antony was nor the fisrt nor the last to be involved in one; even though he didn't start t per se. Antony's life was complicated, this doesn't make him a bad person, on the opposite, he behave far more nobly than Octavian.
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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Sep-2012 at 10:01
Actually he was practically on Caesar's level as I've shown. They were both corrupt, used armed force against the Senate and numerous other things.
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  Quote okamido Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Sep-2012 at 17:51
He really only had one shining moment outside of Caesar's command, and it wasn't necessarily against the cream of the crop when it came to competition. Too sum up his administrative and true military capabilities, one only need to look at his stewardship of Rome while Caesar was away, and the Parthian campaign.
 
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  Quote Don Quixote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Sep-2012 at 08:11
Originally posted by Delenda est Roma

Actually he was practically on Caesar's level as I've shown. They were both corrupt, used armed force against the Senate and numerous other things.

Well, this sound to me rather like a compliment, to be on Caesar's level. Only I think that Caesar had less excuse to pass the Rubicon than Antony to go independent. Octavian was singling him out, so there wasn't much other choice.
As foor the coruption - what exactly do you mean?
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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Sep-2012 at 08:15
Giving and taking bribes, having a mistress, numerous other things.
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  Quote Don Quixote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Sep-2012 at 08:19
Oh, come on, who wss not having mistresses then or now, how can this be a negative?. At least none off them were pressing women in actual or psychological rapes. Bribes were such a normal part of ancient Roman life that I cannot see them as much of a corruption.Whoever was not taking bribes was killing outright, I'd think this is far worse.
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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Sep-2012 at 08:26
He also had people assasinated.
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  Quote Don Quixote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Sep-2012 at 08:28
Who, Caesar or Antony? I think Octavian beats them in this with his hands down.
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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Sep-2012 at 10:41
He wasn't necessarily better than anyone. Octavian and Caesar both had better reigns than he did in Egypt.
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  Quote Don Quixote Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Sep-2012 at 17:59
Oh, I don't argue about that. My poins is that as a human being Antony was a better man than Octavian. I'm talking about his character, not about his administrative or miltary achievement.

He lost, yes, but he lost nobly; Otavian won on the price of hunting down aand killing the son of the person-he-swore-by, by tking ot his associates one by one, and by humiliating whoever he left alive - and I cannot swallow that. I'd rather have the confused, emotional, spontaneous, making-bad-desicions, but nobler Antony than him.

Which, of course, is only my opinion. As you probably noticed, I'm more interested in the character of people, and of their reactions to life, than in their military prowess. Which doesn't mean than anyone has to agree with me - this is my lane, not anyone else's.


Edited by Don Quixote - 07-Sep-2012 at 06:38
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  Quote Delenda est Roma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06-Sep-2012 at 18:10
Of course. I simply prefer those with miliatry and governing talents.
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  Quote okamido Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-Sep-2012 at 20:22
Originally posted by Don Quixote

Who, Caesar or Antony? I think Octavian beats them in this with his hands down.
Well actually, Antonius would have been just as adept at this, as he, Octavian and Lepidus, the Triumviri Rei Publicae Constituendae Consulari Potestate, proscribed more than enough Romans to refill the state treasury. Caesar on the other hand, made the mistake of not doing this, and his clementia most likely resulted in his death. Any assassinations that took place on his orders then, would have been quite clandestine, and therefor we have no knowledge on it either way.
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  Quote okamido Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07-Sep-2012 at 20:23
Originally posted by Delenda est Roma

Of course. I simply prefer those with miliatry and governing talents.
With Antonius, all one has is his meager military attributes, as his governing ability consisted of him spending the state's money in order to pay off his enormous debts.
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