Ancient History - Cleopatra and Mark Antony

What happened to the Senate after Caesar died?

Mark Antony was declared an enemy of the state with Octavian’s support, though this position did eventually reverse

What did the Second Triumvirate (alliance of Antony, Octavian and Marcus Lepidus) do?

• Persecuted thousands of opponents

• Defeated Brutus and Cassius between them

• Divided the Republic into Octavian’s West, Antony’s East and Lepidus taking North Africa

What happened in Egypt in summer 44?

Ptolemy XIV died, likely of natural causes and Caesarion (now Ptolemy XV) became co-ruler soon after

Who did Cleopatra support and what did she then have to choose?

The Triumvirs, and then had to choose whether to become closer to Octavian or Antony

What was Antony’s background?

• Consul alongside Caesar, close ally of Caesar

• Initially made a temporary deal with Brutus and Cassius before getting them exiled

How was Antony treated in Ephesus (where he moved to govern)?

Like a god, common practice there but opposed in Rome

What elements of character did Antony have?

• Basic man

• When he knew of his mistakes, accepted them and regretted

• Good at repairing but also punishing wrongs and wrongdoings

• Liked being made fun of and making fun of others

How did Cleopatra and Antony meet?

With allegations she had funded Cassius, Antony asked Cleopatra to meet in Cilicia to answer. Sent by Antony, Dellius saw her but decided to be flattering and friendly

What was on Cleopatra’s ship when she sailed along the River Cyndus to visit Antony?

• Covered in gold

• Purple sails

• Silver oars pressed to sound of instruments

• She was presented as Aphrodite with boys as Cupid fanning her next to her

• Excessive perfume came off it

How did Antony try impressing Cleopatra the next day?

Holding a banquet, hoping to surpass the impressiveness of her ship

What made this fail and what was so impressive about Cleopatra?

It was not as impressive. Cleopatra was not outstandingly beautiful but persuasive, had a beautiful voice and spoke many languages when her predecessors didn’t even speak their country’s language

Where did the pair spend winter of 41-40 BCE?

Alexandria

Who was born in summer 40?

Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene

When first arriving in Alexandria, how is Antony characterised by Plutarch?

Love-obsessed to the extent of ignoring military threats such as Parthian armies

What happened in 41 BCE? Why did they do this?

Antony’s wife (Fulvia) and his brother (Lucius) attacked Octavian. Aims were unclear though possibly decrease Octavian’s popularity and allow Antony to take over. Antony’s level of involvement is unclear

How did the war end?

Antony’s family were besieged, Lucius was allowed to govern Spain after Antony and Octavian agreed to go back to alliance after the defeat. Fulvia was freed but died in Greece soon after and the triumvirs blamed the war on her

What else was happening with the East at this point?

Parthian commander Labienus (defector from Rome) was invading part of West Asia

How did Antony and Octavian further reconcile?

Antony married Octavian’s sister, Octavia. One problem was Octavia’s husband had been dead for less than 10 months, though the Senate bypassed this restriction

Who was Sextus Pompeius?

Son of Pompey (from earlier) and he held a significant fleet in the Meditteranean which he used to oppose the Triumvirate

What agreement did they make?

Sextus could keep Sicily and Sardinia as long as h:

• Stopped militarily opposing Octavian/Antony

• Gave grain every year to Rome

How did Octavian and Sextus then strengthen relations?

Octavian married Scribonia, a relative to Sextus

When the agreement with Sextus broke down, what did Antony and Octavian agree?

• Triumvirate extended term by five years

• Antony’s son marries Octavian’s daughter

• Octavian contributes to Antony’s campaign against Parthia

• Antony contributes 120 ships against Sextus

Who did Antony send to fight Parthians led by Quintus Labienus?

Publius Ventidius Bassus

Why was Antony unhappy at this point?

When engaging in (friendly) competition

What happened in the winter of 39-38?

With Antony in Athens, Ventidius had killed Labienus and general Pharnapates

What happened with Antony in 38 and 37?

• Captured Samosota in Turkey

• Sent Venditius to celebrate in Rome

• Octavian asked for more troops and ships against Sextus, irritating Antony

• With men never reaching Antony, he left for Syria in late 37 and asked Cleopatra to meet him at Antioch

What did Antony give as a gift to Cleopatra?

Kingdoms in the east

What else did Antony do, and how did he justify doing all this?

• Acknowledged his earlier children and named them Alexander and Cleopatra

• Justified this with links to his claimed holy family (links to Heracles)

What happened in Persia at this time?

Orodes/Hyrodes (king) was murdered by his son and many people defected to Antony such as Monaeses who became a negotiator for Antony

Through Monaeses, what did Antony ask for? What did he then do?

• Return of standards lost by Crassus

• Return of any living men

• He then raised a huge army

What reasons/events made the campaign a disaster?

• He was not helped sufficiently by the Armenian king

• He failed to take cities

• While retreating, they were starved when they couldn’t access food in the mountains

• Poisonous herbs they had to eat killed them

What successes did Octavian have at this point?

• Sextus finally defeated, captured and executed

• Lepidus accused of starting a revolt and forced to retire

• Illyricum becomes a province of Rome

What was happening to Octavia and Cleopatra at this point?

Octavia was neglected and Cleopatra prioritised

With Antony not being able to see Cleopatra, how did they respond?

• Cleopatra neglected herself and would cry and waste away

• Cleopatra shown as actual lover over Octavia being a political marriage

• Antony afraid Cleopatra would take her own life, so relented

What happened to Antony in 34?

• Success in Armenia

• Triumph presenting him as Dionysus - many saw this as disrespectful

• Relations with Octavia broke off

What gifts to the family did Antony grant through the Donations of Alexandria?

Cleopatra: Queen of Egypt, Cyprus, Libya, Coele Syria, with Caesarion her co-ruler

Alexander: King of Armenia, Media and Parthia (once he had conquered it)

Ptolemy: Phoenicia, Syria and Cilicia

What then happened in the Parthian campaign?

Over 25% of the army were lost and through advice, Antony narrowly escaped

What did Antony do in 33?

Invade Armenia and capture its king (the one who had abandoned his campaign previously)

What made the relationship significant?

• Roman access to Egyptian resources

• Naval fleets provided by Cleopatra

• Land control

• Octavian presented relationship as bad, helping tension move

• Cleopatra unopposed in Egypt (sister Arsinoe also killed)

• Children for alliances

• Territorial growth