Transcript Octavian
“Veni, Vidi, Vici“ I came, I saw, I conquered And then I died! • Caesar is dead and Rome is in Chaos!!! • Julius Caesar’s BFF; Caesar was his mother’s cousin Me you • Takes the consulship fools! • Asked for conspirators to be pardoned (Brutus & Cassius) • Public funeral for Caesar and read will • Gardens in the city left to poor • Granted money to every Roman citizen No, no, • Mob went wild no…NOT ME!!! • Julius Caesar’s great nephew – Adopted posthumously through Caesar’s will • 18 years old and in Greece at the time of Caesar’s death • Finds out he is Caesar’s chief heir Dude! Hmmmm…this is even BETTER! I can manipulate him! What?!? How dare he make that pipsqueak his heir… • Claimed what was his • Issued a call to arms of his father’s veteran’s; soldiers came to his aid • Antony fled to Gaul to round up legions • Senate thought they could control Octavian too – Make him a senator – Octavian smarter than senate! • Octavian struck first against the Senate: – Occupied Rome with his army – Forced them to revoke amnesty for Brutus and Cassius • Then strikes against Antony in Gaul and defeats him • Negotiates alliance – Pulled-in Lepidus, a wealthy Roman • Octavian, Antony, and Lepidus – Sealed the deal with marriage: Antony married Octavian’s sister • Turned attention to Senate – Forced the Senate to grant all three men consular positions for five years • Antony -Gaul • Lepidus- Spain • Octavian- Africa and Sicily • Instituted a round of proscriptions - 2,300 fled or died – Eliminate political enemies and strip them of their property – Octavian and Antony went to Greece to hunt down Brutus & Cassius • Met at Philippi; Octavian and Antony won • Brutus and Cassius committed suicide • Almost immediately, squeezed out Lepidus – Octavian controls the west (Hispania, Gaul, Italia, & Africa) – Antony controls the east (Greece, Asia, Syria & Egypt) • Renewed triumvirate for another 5 years • In 35 Lepidus rebelled – Put down and forced into retirement…then he dies • Tensions rise between Octavian & Antony • Octavian commanded 45 legions and 500 warships • Antony had less, but not worried because he had something else… •Antony thought Egypt would guarantee a victory And… Oh no, I’m still married to Octavia. • Cupid hit Antony and Cleopatra with his arrow. •One of the greatest love stories in history. • Antony went too far…Rumors flying: – Starting a second Senate in Egypt – Declared Caesarion as Caesar's legal heir – Gave most of Rome’s eastern lands to Cleopatra • Arabia, Cyprus (copper mines), Sinai (turquoise mines), Armenia, North Africa (grain), ports of Phoenicia – Left his possessions to his children by Cleopatra – Wanted to be buried in Alexandria – Married Cleopatra in 32 BC before he divorced Octavia • Note: All scenes featured in the following clip are from the 1963 film Cleopatra starring Elizabeth Taylor… • Rome & Octavian FURIOUS! – Senate declares war on Cleopatra – Antony stripped of all his official power and labeled him as an outlaw and a traitor It’s clear that Mark Antony is whipped. No chance we can tolerate a man who lets a woman tell him what to do! Yes dear… See that…I want it…all of it! As you wish… Let’s Get Ready to Rumble • Both positioned self for battle Octavian sought Senate support only to end up chasing away consuls and Senate oFew in Rome objected oRepublic truly dead Senate went to Antony in Greece • • Antony less men and weaker army, but Cleopatra promised Egyptian navy and a naval victory • Egyptians allowed themselves to get trapped in the harbor at Actium • Antony and Cleopatra fled; Octavian chased them • Eventually, Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide when it was hopeless • Octavian hunted down all of Cleopatra’s children and killed them I hope that chick was worth it! • The last Egyptian pharaoh was now dead • Octavian took control of all Egypt – Personal possession; didn’t turn over to the Senate like before – Egypt’s wealth went into his own personal treasury