Option M (Rome) 3.3

ROME
Rivalry and
Civil War
between
Mark Antony
and
Octavian;
role of
Cleopatra VII;
Battle of
Actium
Fall of the
Republic

The Story
of
the Second
Triumvirate

The story of the death of the republic
After divorcing Octavia and formalising his
relationship with Cleopatra, Antony was
seen by many to be abandoning the Roman
cause. He still had friends though and in
32BC the consuls made a speech in his
favour in the Senate. Originally they
apposed the idea of reading Antony’s latest
despatches (letters) in the senate as they
knew senators would react baldy to his
‘donations’ to Cleopatra and her children
but Gaius Sosius on 1 January made an
elaborate speech in favour of Antony. He
wanted it to be confirmed but it was
vetoed by a tribute
Octavian was not present on the day of the
speech, but at the next meeting made a
reply of such a nature that the consuls, in
concern for their lives, both left Rome to
join Antony. Octavian had entered the
senate with an armed guard which worked
as an implied threat. As well as the two
consuls, pro-Antony senators also fled.

At this time there was a war
of propaganda. Octavian had
the upper hand since he was
in Rome. He denounced
Antony as an enemy of Rome,
spreading rumours that he
was seeking to establish a
personal monarchy over the
entire Roman Empire on the
behalf of Caesarion,
circumventing the Roman
Senate. It was also said that
Antony intended to move the
capital of the empire to
Alexandria.
Coin minted in 41BC
Obverse: Antony
Reverse: Cleopatra

Octavian was already making military
preparations but in 31BC he was
given an opportunity to destroy
Antony’s reputation and support in
Rome completey. He was given a
copt of Antony’s will which he had
taken from the Vestal virgins. In the
will he recognised Ptolemy Caesar as
the true son of Julius Caesar and
gave extravagemt legacies to his
children with Cleopatra. This was
not, according to the Romans, the
worst of it. Much to their horror he
included instructions on what should
happen to his body if he were to die
in Rome – his body should be sent to
Alexandria to be buried.
Standing portrait of Mark Antony
from Aphroditopolis, Egypt,
in pose of Lysippos' portrait
of Aexander the Great;

As a result of the will and
Octavian’s propaganda
campaign, war was declared on
Cleopatra - well understood to
mean against Antony, though
he was not named In doing
this, the Senate issued a war
declaration and deprived
Antony of any legal authority.
During the winter of 33-32 both
sides prepared for war. Antony
gathered his forces at Ephesus;
they included one of the
greatest fleets ever assembled.
Plutarch says that it numbered
of 500 ships, of which Cleopatra
had contributed 60. Cleopatra
accompanied the fleet.
Marc Antony, AR Denarius, 32-31 BC,
Mint moving with Marc Antony
Obverse: Praetorian galley right,
scepter tied with fillet on prow
Reverse: Aquila between two
legionary standards

Octavian crossed the Adriatic
with a smaller force and
occupied an area just north of
Actium from where his troops
could prevent access by Antony
to the best routes to the east.
Agrippa not only blockaded
Antony’s fleet in the Bay of
Actium, but in a number of
brilliant naval raids secured
various strategic ports in
Greece, cutting off Antony’s
supplies and communication. Bust of Agrippa from Magnesia
on the Meander

Antony’s troops were weakened by
hunger and malaria and many leading
Romans and client-kings deserted him,
particulary angered by Cleopatra’s
influence over him. The blockade had to
be broken, and it is believed that he and
Cleopatra had a plan to risk everything
on a baval battle and try to break out
with as many ships and legionaries as
possible, making for Egypt. Apparently,
however, the plan was not
communicated to the bulk of the fleet or
to the army. During the engagement –
which ‘was suddenly seen to hoist sail
and make through the very midst of the
battle. They had been stationed astern of
the heavy ships, and so threw their
whole formation into disorder as they
plunged through’. Once out of danger
she waited for Antony and his small
number of ships, leaving the remainder
of the fleet be be captured or surrender
to Octavian. Cleopatra and Antony
escaped – they sailed back to Alexandria
while Antony’s troops, stationed in
Greece, gave themselves up to Octavian.
The course, character and duration of
The battle itself is all a mystery – and a
Topic of controversy. There may have
Been fighting and comparatively few
Casualties. A large part of the fleet of
Antonius either refused battle or after
Defeat was forced back into the harbour
SYME The Roman Revolution p297

In 30BC Octavian invaded Egypt. Antony’s troops deserted him. Cleopatra attempted
to win Octavian’s support, offering to abdicate her throne in return for the safety and
acknowledgement of her children. Octavian refused.

Plutarch tells us of the death of Antony.
When his armies deserted him and joined
with Octavian, he cried out that Cleopatra
had betrayed him. She, fearing his wrath,
locked herself in her monument with only
her two handmaidens and sent messengers
to tell Antony that she was dead. Believing
them, Antony stabbed himself in the
stomach with his sword, and lay on his
couch to die. Instead, the blood flow
stopped, and he begged any and all to
finish him off. Another messenger came
from Cleopatra with instructions to bring
him to her, and he, rejoicing that Cleopatra
was still alive, consented. She wouldn't
open the door, but tossed ropes out of a
window. After Antony was securely trussed
up, she and her handmaidens hauled him
up into the monument. This nearly finished
him off. After dragging him in through the
window, they laid him on a couch.
Cleopatra tore off her clothes and covered
him with them. She raved and cried, beat
her breasts and engaged in self-mutilation.
Antony told her to calm down, asked for a
glass of wine, and died upon finishing it.
Antony believed that message, and saying
to himself, "Why doest thou longer delay,
Antony? Fortune has taken away thy sole
remaining excuse for clinging to life," he
went into his chamber. Here, as he
unfastened his breastplate and laid it aside,
he said: "O Cleopatra, I am not grieved to
be bereft of thee, for I shall straightway join
thee; but I am grieved that such an I
mperator as I am has been found to be
inferior to a woman in courage."
PLUTARCH Life of Antony

Plutarch’s account says that Octavian
was able to capture Cleopatra in the
musleum after Antony’s death. He did
not want her to commit suicide as he
wanted to parade her through the
streets of Rome as part of his triumph.
He states that Cleopatra was found
dead, her handmaiden Iras dying at her
feet, and another handmaiden,
Charmion, adjusting her crown before
she herself fell. He then goes on to
state that an asp was concealed in a
basket of figs that was brought to her
by a rustic, and, finding it after eating a
few figs, she held out her arm for it to
bite. Other stories state that it was
hidden in a vase, and that she poked it
with a spindle until it got angry enough
to bite her on the arm. Finally, he
indicates that in Octavian's triumphal
march back in Rome, an effigy of
Cleopatra that had an asp clinging to it
was part of the parade
Black basalt statue of
Cleopatra VII

The ancient sources,
particularly the Roman
ones, are in general
agreement that Cleopatra
killed herself by inducing
an Egyptian cobra to bite
her. The oldest source is
Strabo, who was alive at
the time of the event, and
might even have been in
Alexandria. He says that
there are two stories: that
she applied a toxic
ointment, or that she was
bitten by an asp on her
breast.

The Legacy of Sulla
Rivalry and
Civil War
between
Mark Antony
and
Octavian;
role of
Cleopatra VII;
Battle of
Actium

Option M (Rome) 3.3

More Related Content

Option M (Rome) 3.3