The Rise of the
Roman Empire
Lifelong Learning Academy
Daniel Stephens
Topics
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The Death of Pompey
Caesar and Cleopatra
Death of Cato
Caesar forgives
Caesar straightens out
Rome
Dictator Perpetuus
Marcus Junius Brutus
The Ides of March
Et Tu Brute?
Caesar’s Funeral
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Mark Antony
Gaius Octavius
The Second Triumvirate
Rome’s Second Purge
The Death of Cicero
The Battle of Philippi
The Triumvirate falls apart
Anthony and Cleopatra
The Second Civil War
Actium
The Death of Anthony and
Cleopatra
o Augustus Julius Caesar, Imperator
Pompey Flees to Egypt
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After Pompey’s defeat at
Pharsalus, he would flee to Egypt
seeking refuge amongst the
Ptolemys who were sympathetic to
Rome.
Upon his arrival Pompey would be
denied entrance while Ptolemy the
XIII would consider his options.
Ptolemy would choose Caesars side
and hoping to win his favor sent his
two Greek ministers, Pothinus and
Achillas to murder him.
Pompey was given word that he
would be able to land and get
asylum in Egypt.
Upon his landing Pothinus and
Achillas would stab Pompey and
decapitate him.
Ptolemy would then await Caesar’s
arrival to present him with a gift.
Caesar Sorts out Egypt
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Upon his arrival Caesar is presented
with Pompey’s head, which was the
last thing he wanted to happen.
Caesar had hoped to reconcile
with Pompey and restore power to
the Republic.
Caesar ordered Pompey’s murders
killed and he would then depose
Ptolemy XIII from his throne in favor
of his younger brother Ptolemy XIV.
Ptolemy XIII would send and army
against Caesars small garrison force
and is drowned in the Nile during his
attack.
Now the child Ptolemy XIV would
rule Egypt but in reality his older
Sister/Wife Cleopatra VII would hold
the reigns of power.
Cleopatra offers herself to
Caesar
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When Caesar arrived in Egypt, the country
was involved in a huge civil dispute.
Ptolemy XIII with his Greek counselors
wanted sole rule, but Cleopatra who was
older wanted the power for herself.
One nigh several servants delivered a rug
to Caesars quarters, inside was a very
naked Cleopatra, who offered herself to
Caesar if he made her Queen of Egypt.
Reluctant at first to get involved with a civil
war Caesar refused, but then eventually
gave into Cleopatra’s charms.
With the death of Ptolemy XIII and her
marriage to Ptolemy XIV, Cleopatra set
herself as undisputed ruler of Egypt.
Also having a child by Caesar cemented
Rome’s support for anything she did.
Veni, Vidi, Vici
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After a time in Egypt Caesar
would head east to sort out a
issue with Pharnaces the son of
Mithridates of Pontus.
Pharnaces had sided with
Pompey and went into open
revolt against Rome.
Caesar moved his legions
quickly into Pontus and in a
five day war quickly crushed
the forces of Pharnaces.
He would later write the words
Veni, Vidi Vici to sum up the
entire campaign.
Thapsus and the death of
Cato
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Caesar not finished would then
turn and march into North
Africa and assault the
stronghold of Pompey
supporters at Thapsus.
A brutal battle would ensue
and the force would
eventually surrender.
Caesars most die-hard enemy
Marcus Porcius Cato would kill
himself rather than be
pardoned and ruled by
Caesar.
Cato like his namesake was a
die-hard stoic and champion
of Roman virtue and staunch
optimates.
Caesar restores order
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Caesar’s victory over the forces of
Pompey were now complete he
had put out several rebellions and
quelled most of the opposition in
the provinces.
Now Caesar would return to Rome.
Upon his return he made it clear
that he was not Marius or Sulla and
that there would be no purges.
He gave clemency to all those who
had supported Pompey and
pardoned all that Pompey had
exiled.
Caesar even pardoned Cicero and
allowed to return to Rome.
Caesar’s reforms
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He would go on to cut the grain dole in
half eliminating the idle troublemakers,
then he shipped those who no longer
qualified to colonies overseas.
He would confiscate land from cities that
were loyal to Pompey and dole out
property overseas for his veterans.
He established Roman colonies in Gaul
and Iberia , as well as Corinth.
He would give full Latin status to allies,
soldiers and cities that supported him
overseas.
He would admit Italians and Gauls into the
Senate.
He would improve the roads and start a
project to improve the appearance of
Rome.
He would cut taxes and reform tax laws in
the provinces.
He would host games and Triumphs and
won over the people of Rome
He would re-organize the Roman calendar
and add in the month of July named after
him.
Caesar’s Triumph
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Caesar would now organize and finally
receive his Triumphal march through Rome.
The Triumph would harken back to the days of
the early republic when conquering Consuls
would parade down Rome’s main avenue.
The Triumph would display the riches that the
conqueror would have won or plundered.
The prisoners, usually the most fierce warriors
and leaders would be paraded in chains
through the streets.
Also on parade would be any unusual animals
taken from the conquered province.
Then would come the victorious legions .
Finally the General or Consul would come in a
chariot pulled by exotic animals or pure-bread
stallions with a slave who would hold a laurel
over their heads whispering “Remember thou
art mortal.”
The Triumph would end at the Forum, were the
Conqueror would enter the temple of Jupiter
and Mars and pay their homage.
All of the Prisoners would be taken and
strangled to death as a sacrifice to the gods.
The People Hail a King
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Caesars popularity would continue
to grow and the senate would first
grant him the status of Dictator for
ten years.
Later as Caesar continue to rise in
power the tribune of the Plebs Mark
Anthony would push and make
Caesar Dictator Perpetuus.
These moves would incense a
growing opposition against
Caesar’s rule.
The leaders of this opposition would
be headed by Gaius Cassius and
Marcus Brutus, and would move to
expose Caesar’s weaknesses and
his possible desire to be King!
This would further continue to fester
and turn into a plot to murder
Caesar.
Caesars Maladies
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Julius Caesar was Perhapse one of the most
famous people in history.
He ended the Republic and laid the
foundations of the Roman Empire.
…but, Caesar was still human and still had all
the frailties and weaknesses that everyone
possesses.
By the end of Caesars life (54) he was not in
good health. He suffered primarily from
epilepsy and had stomach issues.
Caesar was not prone to grand mal seizures,
but more than likely suffered petite mal
epilepsy. These seizures were becoming more
and more frequent.
He would also suffer from frequent stomach
issues, unable to eat, bouts of diarrhea. One
attack happened while he was accepting
accolades from the Senate at the temple of
Venus and could not stand. This was viewed
by his enemies as a severe slight.
Caesars main weakness would be women. He
would take on many mistresses in his life, many
of them were either married or related to most
of his chief rivals.
Marcus Junius Brutus
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Descended from Lucius Brutus, it
was rumored that Brutus could have
been the illegitimate child of
Caesar.
Brutus would side with Pompey
during the civil war, believing
Pompey had the best interest of the
Republic, even though Pompey
had killed Brutus’s father.
After Pharsalus Caesar forgave
Brutus and gave him money power
and position within the Roman
Senate.
Gaius Crassus, another survivor of
Pharsalus convinced Brutus that
Caesar desired to be king.
Several portents and omens began
pointing to this in Brutus’s mind and
a plot to kill Caesar was hatched.
Roman Omens
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Roman’s believed that omens were
portents that the gods sent us to
foretell future events.
Caesar parading a statue of himself
through the forum and the temples
foretold his desire to be king.
Caesar would wave away crowns
presented to him. When the crowd
would call for him to be king Caesar
would reply “I do not need a
crown, I am Caesar.”
Caesar would then begin to
receive his own omens of
impending doom.
He went to sacrifice an animal in
March, which turned out to have no
heart. He then visited a soothsayer
who told him to “beware the ides of
March.”
The Plot to Kill Caesar
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The conspirators had to act quickly.
Caesar had planned a military
expedition to Parthia and leave on
March the 18th.
He had dismissed his bodyguards,
because he started to believe he
was invincible.
Caesar supporters then cast the
final straw when the circulated the
prophecy that only a Roman king
could defeat Parthia.
The conspirators gathered together
and picked March 15th the day
Caesar would address the Senate.
Crassus wanted to also kill Mark
Antony, but Brutus refused.
The Ides of March
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On the morning of March 15th Caesar,
disturbed by a dream, reluctantly headed
to the Forum.
Along the way a Greek slave passed
Caesar a note, which informed him of the
plot, but he did not read it.
As he made his way through the Forum
and into the Senate several Senators that
were his supporters stopped him, they
were part of the plot.
Caesar would be attacked by the
Senators then more would run in and stab
him. Supposedly Caesar would look up
and see Brutus and say Kai su tekon later
Shakespeare would change it to Et tu
Brute.
The attack was so viscous that many of
the Senators had stab wounds including
Brutus who had been slashed across the
wrist.
When Caesars body was found the note
that warned him of his death was still
clutched in his hands un-opened.
Caesar’s Funeral
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Mark Anthony immediately fled the Forum and
sought refuge in the temple district.
The conspirators led by Brutus found him and
assured him that if he obeyed them he would
be spared.
The following evening Mark Antony with the
permission of the conspirators brought Caesars
body to the Forum for public viewing.
Brutus and Crassus gave speeches about how
Caesar had desired to be king and that they
killed him to preserve the Republic.
Afterwards they left feeling they had
accomplished what they set to do.
Mark Anthony would then read Caesar’s will
and remind the crowd that Caesar only had
their interest at heart.
Caesar had set in his will great allotments to be
given to the people.
The Mob riled into a frenzy went out to hunt
down the conspirators.
Crassus and Brutus fled the city for the
provinces.
Mark Anthony Takes Over
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Mark Anthony to ease the tensions in
Rome allows the Conspirators to escape.
He even grants Crassus and Brutus
governorship of the provinces.
He abolished the dictatorship and gives
land Caesar’s veterans, to keep them
from marching on Rome.
Brutus and Crassus took exception to
Anthony’s rule , but Anthony would
threaten them and they fled east.
They would seize the assets that Caesar
had put in place for his invasion of Parthia
and prepare for the eventuality of
Anthony’s reprisal.
Octavian, Caesar’s heir was in Spain at
the time of the assassination. He would
make his way back to Rome to claim his
inheritance that Caesar left for him in his
will.
Mark Antony
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83-30BC, Mark Antony was born into the strife
of the Marius/Sulla war, Mark Antony’s
grandfather , a noted orator was killed during
the Marian purges.
Antony’s father was a incompetent and
corruptible politician, who Cicero described as
someone who was give power because he
was incapable of using it or abusing it
effectively.
Antony would be sent to Greece then Syria
were he would prove himself a effective
leader of cavalry.
He would join Caesar in Gaul and become his
friend and most able commander.
Antony would gain positions of authority, but
usually rack up heavy gambling debts.
Once a magister he resulted to thug tactics to
get what he wanted and Caesar would send
him away for two years.
He would gain Cicero as a lifelong enemy,
who would oppose him constantly in the
Senate.
On the 15th of March 44BC, Antony had
learned of the conspiracy and was on his way
to warn Caesar when Caesar was
assassinated.
After the turmoil of Caesar’s death Antony
would ally himself with Octavian and a fellow
powerful senator Lepidus to raise and army
and bring down Brutus and Cassius.
Gaius Octavian
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63BC-14AD, Gaius Octavian was the son of
Atia a niece of Caesar’s.
Noted to have been plagued by several
maladies in his youth like, irritable bowels,
headaches, and skin rashes.
Octavian was elected to the college of
Pontiffs when he was 16.
Several years later he asked to serve on
Caesar’s staff in Africa but fell severely ill.
He would later he would travel to Iberia to join
Caesar, but was shipwrecked.
He would cross enemy territory and Join
Caesar. This impressed his uncle and Caesar
would later name Octavian as his heir.
Upon Caesar’s death Octavian would change
his name to Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian.
He would begin to assume power as Antony’s
actions would make him unpopular.
Octavian would first amass an army of
Caesar’s veterans, then convince Cicero to
back as he was elected Senator and a military
tribuneship.
With Octavian’s new power he would force
Antony into a Triumvirate whose purpose
would be to hunt down Caesar’s killers.
The Second Triumvirate
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The Triumvirate Marc Antony,
Octavian and Lepidus would
first send out a proscription of
300 senators and 2000 equites.
Those who did not flee were
killed. All of their lands were
taken and the assets
liquidated to fund 28 legions to
fight Brutus and Cassius.
Octavian would then move
and have Julius Caesar made
a God by the Senate and
would take the title Divi Filius.
42BC, Antony and Octavian
will sail their Legions to Greece
to face the armies of Caesars
murders.
The Death of Cicero
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One of those that were proscribed would
be Cicero.
Octavian would oppose Cicero’s name
being added to the list but was overruled
by the others.
Antony whose personal hatred of Cicero
took over, had Cicero hunted all
throughout Italy.
The public in large was sympathetic to
Cicero and would hide him or lead his
hunters astray.
He would be caught at Formia hoping to
escape to Macedonia.
He would tell the soldiers "There is nothing
proper about what you are doing, soldier,
but do try to kill me properly.“
The soldiers would cut off his head and
hands and send them back to Rome.
Fulvia, the wife of Antony and the widow
of Clodius Pulcher was said to have taken
Cicero’s head and pulled out the tongue
were she would stab it repeatedly with a
hair pin.
The Battle of Phillippi
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The Triumvirate had 230,000 men while the
Republic army had 170,000.
Octavian and Antony split their armies and
were to attack Brutus and Cassius in turn.
On October 3, 42BC, Antony’s legions pressed
across the marshes and engaged Cassius’s
men in close combat and defeated them.
Cassius believing Brutus was defeated as well
committed suicide.
Brutus’s legions surprised Octavian (who was
hiding in the marshes) and sent his legions to
flight.
Both sides rallied what was left and again
would face off against each other.
On October 23rd Antony in control, attacked
Brutus’s forces and through brutal close
quarter hand to hand fighting, broke Brutus’s
legions and Brutus would commit suicide.
The Triumvirate was successful all opposition
was defeated.
Antony would not let Octavian’s absence from
the battle go unnoticed. This would start to
widen the rift between them.
The Triumvirate falls Apart
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After the fall of Brutus and Cassius, there
would be no real reason for the Triumvirate
to continue.
Quickly Antony and Octavian would push
Lepidus out of the pact.
Octavian would begin to harbor a
resentment towards Antony.
Octavian would try to settle his veterans in
in Italy, but were stymied by Antony’s
relatives.
Antony tried to re-enter Italy, but was
barred by Octavian’s forces. Antony
would then block the port of Brundisium.
Lepidus would then step up and renew
the Triumvirate to stop Sextus, Pompey's
son from taking Gaul.
This time Octavian would again push out
Lepidus and Move his armies into Greece
to chase Antony out of Italy.
Anthony goes to Egypt
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Antony had traveled east to possibly
invade Parthia, but stopped in Egypt to
find out why Cleopatra had back Cassius
in the rebellion.
She would come to Antony on a great
barge dressed as Venus. Antony was
completely taken by her.
This was a problem from the start because
Antony had married Octavia, Octavian’s
sister in 40 BC.
Upon his return to Rome and his falling out
with Octavian, Antony would leave
Octavia and their children and go to
Egypt in 37 BC to be with Cleopatra and
have children.
After almost losing it all in Parthia, Antony
would go to Cleopatra and become
dependent upon her.
He would divorce Octavia in 35 BC
severing all ties with Octavian.
Anthony and Cleopatra
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Antony would now agree to marry
Cleopatra in 33 BC, the year before
he divorce was finalized with
Octavia.
In 34 BC Antony held a Triumphal
march in Alexandria, declaring it his
new Rome.
He would then declare Cleopatra’s
son Caesarian the true heir to
Caesar.
In 32 BC Antony and Cleopatra
would issue coins with their faces on
it and the motto stamped
Cleopatra Queen of Kings.
He would then make moves to
have their children installed as
monarchs all over the east,
weakening Rome.
Octavian Makes War Against
Egypt
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Octavian was furious.
He would assume total control
over Rome and push out the
300 consul’s and senators who
had criticized him and backed
Antony.
He would publish Antony’s will
that stated that Antony would
make Caesarian Caesar’s true
heir and king of Rome. Then
Octavian would circulate the
Rumor that Antony planned to
Rule Rome from Egypt.
The western part of the Empire
then joined Octavian and he
would declare war on Antony
and Egypt in 31 BC
Actium
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Octavian would land his army in Greece
to attack Antony.
Octavian’s friend and admiral Agrippa
would use the Roman fleet to block
Antony’s escape.
Antony outnumbered the Romans but his
ships were slower and lightly manned.
Antony would set fire to those ships he
could not man fully.
Before the battle Antony’s general Quintus
Dellius defected and took his battle plans
to Agrippa.
The ships would move in and the Roman’s
lighter ships firing flaming pitch would set
Antony’s ships on fire.
Cleopatra would abandon the fight early ,
followed quickly by Antony.
Octavian’s ground forces would wear
down Antony’s and Octavian’s victory
would be complete.
Octavian Marches on
Alexandria
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Octavian would then follow Antony
and Cleopatra to Alexandria.
He would quickly invade the city
and set the lighthouse and library of
Alexandria on fire.
Cleopatra would try to appeal to
Octavian for mercy. Octavian
would tell her she would come to
no harm.
Antony would try to send gold to
Octavian to possibly escape and
live as a private citizen in Athens.
Both would come to the realization
that Octavian wanted them alive
so he could parade them in Rome
at his Triumph and have them
publicly executed.
The Death of Anthony and
Cleopatra
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Antony defeated and hopeless
would attempt suicide but fail. He
would be brought to Cleopatra
were he would die in her arms in her
temple.
Cleopatra would then return to her
palace were it was said that she
would commit Suicide by attaching
an asp to her breast.
Octavian would spare Antony’s
children, but would have Caesarian
killed making him the only heir to
Julius Caesar.
Octavian would then declare Egypt
no longer a Roman province, but
now his own personal property.
Octavian Marches to Rome
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Triumphant, Octavian would return to
Rome as its’ undisputed master.
He would begin to operate under the
guise that he would eventually return
Rome to a Republic.
He would restore the powers of the senate
and the Council of the Plebs, but only
allow them to operate under his direct
control.
He would not disband his army (which was
the entire Roman army) for to do so would
open Rome up again to civil war.
He would place the day to day operation
s of Rome under the control of the senate
and the equestrians.
He would then expel out of the senate any
senator he found unsuitable, and create a
defined career path for new senators.
Rise of the Emperors
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Octavian would rule Rome as
Consul with out equal until 27 BC.
He would then give up all his
powers and provinces to the
people and the senate, who
promptly gave it back to him.
Now he would rule Rome legally. He
would be careful not to take the
title of king, but Imperator.
This would begin a 450 year
tradition of Roman emperors, who
would all strive and most fail to live
up to the mold that Augustus
Octavian Caesar would create.
… But that is another story.