History of Ancient Rome | Antony and Octavian (Lecture 29)

Lecture 29: With Caesar murdered, the Roman world was once more plunged into uncertainty. Antony, Caesar’s right-hand man, appeared the heir-apparent to Caesar’s position. But Caesar had different ideas. In his will he adopted his 19-year-old nephew, C. Octavius, as his son and chief heir. With this act, a previously unknown figure was catapulted onto the center of the political stage. Antony miscalculated and snubbed the youthful C. Julius Caesar Octavianus, while the Senate wavered, neither fully condoning nor fully condemning the assassination, so that both supporters and murderers of Caesar found themselves appointed to the command of armies. When Octavian raised an army of his own, the political powder-keg blew. Fighting initially for the Senate against Antony, Octavian chased his rival out of Italy but refused to have any truck with the “Liberators.” Having done its dirty work, Octavian then found himself snubbed by the Senate. He took a leaf from Sulla’s book and marched on Rome to occupy the city.

Essential Reading:
Suetonius, The Twelve Caesars, 2 (“Augustus”).
Cary and Scullard, chapter 28.

Supplemental Reading:
Shotter, Augustus, chapters 1–3.
Syme, Roman Revolution, chapters 8–10.

Lecture 30: https://www.bitchute.com/video/3cfwPsFoQB5D/