Mark Antony

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Mark Antony : biography

83 BC – 30 BC

Marcus Antonius, commonly known in English as Mark Antony (Latin: M·ANTONIVS·M·F·M·N) (January 14, 83 BC – August 1, 30 BC), was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother’s cousin Julius Caesar. After Caesar’s assassination, Antony formed an official political alliance with Octavian (the future Augustus) and Lepidus, known to historians today as the Second Triumvirate.

The triumvirate broke up in 33 BC. Disagreement between Octavian and Antony erupted into civil war, the Final War of the Roman Republic, in 31 BC. Antony was defeated by Octavian at the naval Battle of Actium, and in a brief land battle at Alexandria. He and his lover Cleopatra committed suicide shortly thereafter. His career and defeat are significant in Rome’s transformation from Republic to Empire.

Biography

Early life

A member of the Antonia clan (gens), Antony was born on January 14, mostly likely in 83 BC. PlutarchPlutarch, Life of Antony gives Antony’s year of birth as either 86 or 83 BC.Suerbaum 1980, 327–334. Antony was an infant at the time of Sulla’s landing at Brundisium in the spring of 83 BC and the subsequent proscriptions that had put the life of the teen-aged Julius Caesar at risk. He was the homonymous and thus presumably the eldest son of Marcus Antonius Creticus (praetor 74 BC, proconsul 73–71 BC) and grandson of the noted orator Marcus Antonius (consul 99 BC, censor 97–6 BC) who had been murdered during the Marian Terror of the winter of 87–6 BC.Huzar 1978, p. 14

Antony’s father was incompetent and corrupt, and according to Cicero, he was only given power because he was incapable of using or abusing it effectively.Huzar 1978, p. 15 In 74 BC he was given imperium infinitum to defeat the pirates of the Mediterranean, but he died in Crete in 71 BC without making any significant progress.Scullard 1980, p. 154 Creticus had two other sons: Gaius (praetor 44 BC, born c.82 BC) and Lucius (quaestor 50 BC, consul 41 BC, born c.81 BC).

Antony’s mother, Julia, was a daughter of Lucius Caesar (consul 90 BC, censor 89 BC). Upon the death of her first husband, she married Publius Cornelius Lentulus (consul 71 BC), an eminent patrician.Huzar 1978, p. 17 Lentulus, despite exploiting his political success for financial gain, was constantly in debt due to the extravagance of his lifestyle. He was a major figure in the Second Catilinarian Conspiracy and was extrajudicially killed on the orders of Cicero in 63 BC.Huzar 1978, p. 17

Antony lived a dissipate lifestyle as a youth, and gained a reputation for heavy gambling. According to Cicero, he had a homosexual relationship with Gaius Scribonius Curio.Eyben 1993, p. 236 There is little reliable information on his political activity as a young man, although it is known that he was an associate of Clodius.Eyben 1993, p. 58 He may also have been involved in the Lupercal cult, as he was referred to as a priest of this order later in life.Huzar 1978, p. 25

In 58 BC, Antony travelled to Athens to study rhetoric and philosophy, escaping his creditors. The next year, he was summoned by Aulus Gabinius, proconsul of Syria, to take part in the campaigns against Aristobulus II in Judea, as the commander of a Gallic cavalry regiment.Weigall 1931, p. 102 Antony achieved important victories at Alexandrium and Machaerus.

Supporter of Caesar

In 54 BC, Antony became a staff officer in Caesar’s armies in Gaul and Germany. He again proved to be a competent military leader in the Gallic Wars. Antony and Caesar were the best of friends, as well as being fairly close relatives. Antony made himself ever available to assist Caesar in carrying out his military campaigns.

Raised by Caesar’s influence to the offices of quaestor, augur, and tribune of the plebeians (50 BC), he supported the cause of his patron with great energy. Caesar’s two proconsular commands, during a period of ten years, were expiring in 50 BC, and he wanted to return to Rome for the consular elections. But resistance from the conservative faction of the Roman Senate, led by Pompey, demanded that Caesar resign his proconsulship and the command of his armies before being allowed to seek re-election to the consulship.