HI 303X -01
Marc’s Mark
Marc Antony and his effects on the Roman
Republic
BY
John L. D’Antonio
1/27/2015
Col. Sheldon
Help Received: Col. Sheldon
1
The Roman Republic and Empire have a deep history full of inspiring, cruel, interesting
and horrific individuals. Of all the cutthroat Romans, one name in particular stands out to me
and that is Marcus Antonius, born son of a Roman Praetor in 83 B.C and more commonly known
as Marc Antony. Legate under Julius Caesar, Tribune of the Plebs, member of the Second
Triumvirate, lover of Cleopatra and contender for the seat of emperor, Marc Antony has left his
mark on the empire as one who has played both sides to win and in the process caused situations
to worsen. He did whatever was necessary to attain more personal power for himself, whether it
was allaying with former enemies or assisting in the brutal slaughter of thousands of Roman
citizens in revenge of the death of Caesar1. This self-serving attitude is what caused thousands
of Romans to die in a civil war, and by the end, the republic would never be the same.
Early on, Marc Antony’s thirst for power was evident; he was beginning to leave his
mark on the Roman Republic. The first instance of this is the events that followed the death of
Caesar in March of 44 B.C. Marc Antony had fled the city dressed as a slave for fear of being
hunted down as a follower of Caesar. However, upon realizing that the members who had so
quickly fallen upon Caesar were hiding in the city instead of attacking his followers, he turned
around and convinced them to meet by trading his own son as a hostage to the murders of
Caesar. After this he met with the senate and convinced them to grant amnesty and distribute
provinces to key members of the rebel group, namely Brutus and Cassius.2 Antony was cheered
as a hero when he exited the senate chambers for bringing about a peace following the murder of
the emperor. He had restored peace to the Republic and could have left it there; however, it
seems that he had a different plan for Rome. After obtaining permission to hold Caesar’s funeral
in public, Marc Antony proceeded to whip the crowd into such a fury against the members who
1
2
“Mark Antony”, Wikipedia, 1/27/15, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Antony
Plutarch, Antony, 14.1 – 14.2
2
assassinated Caesar, that they burned down the houses of the assassins causing many of them,
including Brutus and Cassius, to flee the Italian Peninsula in fear for their lives.3
From here Marc Antony, took control of Rome and in an autocratic fashion, issued
decrees, pardons, and sentences all in the name of Caesar, for Antony had obtained the
documents of the dead emperor and proceeded to claim that all that he carried out was in the
name of the long dead dictator. As the sole consul and with his brothers in the positions of
tribune and praetor, he was able to assign senators and conduct executions with impunity.4
However not all were content with this arrangement. Marcus Tullius Cicero, a member of the
senate, conducted fourteen speeches against Marc Antony and questioned why he thought he
could conduct the affairs of a dead dictator. Speeches such as this began to sow dissent among
the people and the senate. Cicero and the other enemies of Antony began to build a following
until there was tension all throughout Rome. Finally came a day in May when young Octavian,
heir to Caesar, arrived in Rome demanding all that Caesar had left him. There was now another
contender for power in Rome; the Republic was slowly losing the style of government they had
boasted for so long to power hungry men such as Antony. This could have been easily avoided
if Antony had kept his agreement regarding Caesars assassins, the agreement he had received so
much praise for.
Let us now fast forward seven months to December of the same year. Antony has
marched north to seize control of Gaul from one of the assassins of Caesar who had earlier been
given amnesty. After besieging the Roman army there, the senate, led by Cicero, declares him
an outlaw and dispatches an army which defeats him. At this point the republic has fractured
into several smaller pieces, arguably because of the actions of Marc Antony. On one side is the
3
4
Plutarch, 14.3 – 15.1
Plutarch, 15.1 – 15.3
3
members who were loyal to Caesar fighting among themselves, Antony, Octavian, and Lepidus.
On the other side, Brutus and Cassius are in the east jointly holding territory under the name the
Liberators. Finally Sextus Pompey holds the majority of the Roman fleets at Sicily. Antony
forms an alliance with first Lepidus and then eventually Octavian as the infighting of the
Caesarians slowly dies down.
They then the divide the Empire into three parts, this becomes
known as the Second Triumvirate. The fate of the Republic is now sealed and it will never
return to what it once was. Their first order of business is to begin arguing as to who gets to
exact vengeance again the Liberators, the assassins of Caesar.5 Eventually the Liberators are
caught and their armies defeated, both Brutus and Cassius commit suicide before being captured.
Hungry for more power, Antony and Octavian have Lepidus ousted as a member of the
Triumvirate and send him to be governor of Africa.6 All seems to be well in Rome until Marc
Antony’s true colors begin to show once more as he attempts to obtain more power. His wife
who has remained in Rome, has begun attempting to rally the senators against Octavian on his
behalf. Antony, obtaining funds from Egypt, the land of his lover Cleopatra, launches a failed
campaign against the Parthians and then another against Sextus who he executes without trial.
After one more successful campaign against Armenia, Antony commits the ultimate mistake and
severs his treaty with Octavian, believing his new wealth from Egypt will assist him in taking all
of Rome and its territory for his own. This move was extremely unpopular with the army and
navy and Antony lost the majority of his troops. Following a brief political struggle in Rome
during 33 and 32 BC, war is declared between the two factions. Antony soon lost most of his
territory in the east, specifically all of his territory in Greece. He was finally hunted down by
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6
Plutarch, Antony, 19.1
Wikipedia, Marc Antony
4
Octavian’s general Marcus Agrippa after a loss on the seas at Actium.7 In 30 BC, Octavian
invades Egypt, Antony’s last remaining territory. Realizing he was lost and falsely believing
Cleopatra to be dead, Marc Antony disemboweled himself with his own sword8 This end, led
Octavian to have absolute power, thus the Roman Empire was born.
Marc Antony leaves his mark on the Roman Republic in the form of his greed. His greed
shatters the peace by his betrayal of the agreement with Brutus and Cassius, leading to the death
of thousands of Romans in a civil war. The Republic is split into half a dozen pieces almost
completely due to his actions. Even after the dust settles and the Republic has settled into two
parts, his and Octavian’s, Antony had to grab for power once more and deal the finishing blow to
that which was the Roman Republic. For all of his greed and all of his skill, it would ultimately
lead to his downfall and Rome would never be the same.
7
8
Wikipedia, Marc Antony
Plutarch, Antony, 77.3-77.4
5
Bibliography

Cicero, Orations, The fourteen orations against Marcus Antonius (Philippics) trans. C. D.
Yonge. London. George Bell & Sons. 1903.

“Marcus Antonius Creticus”, Wikipedia, 2/8/15,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Antonius_Creticus

“Mark Antony”, Wikipedia, 1/27/15, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Antony

Plutarch, Antony, trans. B. Perrin, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1921.

Plutarch, Comparison of Demetrius and Antony, trans. B. Perrin, Cambridge: Harvard
University Press, 1920.