Civil War After Caesar's Death I
Situation at Death of Caesar
- Conspirators expect Republic to spring back to life
- Many people unwilling for old system to revive
- Offices already elected for years in advance
- Many revere memory of the dead dictator
- Common people have little stake in old political system
- Violence-prone assemblies in Rome don't really represent the body politic (all of Italy holds citizenship, many citizens reside abroad)
Mark Antony
- Son of pr. 74, grandson of cos. 99
- Distant relative of Caesar's
- Served under Caesar in Gaul
- As tr. pl. in 49 stood up for Caesar, fled to him (cause of civil war)
- During civil war looked after Italy while Caesar was in East
- Cos. at time of assassination
- Brutus unwilling to allow his murder
- Tries to reconcile with assassins
- Tries to assume leadership of "Caesarians"
"Octavian"/Young Caesar
- Great nephew of Caesar, who had no heir
- Son of "new man" praetor of 61
- 19 yrs. old at time of assassination
- Basically a small-town nobody
- Adopted by Caesar's will
- Takes on Caesar's name
- "Young Caesar"
- Never uses form "Octavian" (shows lowly origins)
- Has no status of his own
- Plays on memory of assassinated "father"
- Undermine Antony's support among Caesarians by attacking reconciliation with assassins
- Raises troops (illegally) among Caesar's veterans
- Tries unsuccessful coup d'etat in summer of 44
Cicero
- Has irrational hatred of Antony
- After 15 yrs of military domination in Rome, his oratory can now play a role
- Nothing to lose from a personal perspective
- Divorces wife
- Rift w/brother
- Recent death of beloved daughter
- Son seems to have been loser
- Supports Young Caesar against Antony
- "Philippic orations" directed against Antony
- Abandons his previous principles in his fixation with Antony
- Fails to see threat posed by Young Caesar
Events of Late 44
- Pressure from Young Caesar causes rift b/t Antony and assassins
- Antony would lose support of Caesarians if he keeps up cozy relations with assassins
- Brutus, Cassius given small provinces to get them out of town
- Antony gives up Macedonia for Cisalpine Gaul
- Keeps Macedonia's legions
- Cisalpine Gaul allows military threat against Italy
- D. Brutus (rel. of M. Brutus) seizes Cisalpine Gaul
- Supporter of Caesar throughout civil war
- Assassin
- Appointed gov. of Cisalpine Gaul by Caesar before assassinations
- Young Caesar cooperates with senate against Antony
- Cicero gung-ho to support Young Caesar
- Brutus, Cassius tepid
- Realize Caesar's heir can't be an ally of his father's assassins
- Antony besieges D. Brutus in Mantua
Back to CLASS 282 Reading Schedule