Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) was a Roman triumvir. He was born in 83 BC and died in 30 BC. He was connected with the family of Caesar by his mother. Debauchery and prodigality marked his youth. To escape his creditors he went to Greece in 58, and from thence followed the consul Gabinius on a campaign in Syria as commander of the cavalry. He served in Gaul under Caesar in 52 and 51. In 50 he returned to Rome to support the interests of Caesar against the aristocratical party headed by Pompey, and was appointed tribune.
When war broke out between Caesar and Pompey, Antony led reinforcements to Caesar in Greece, and in the battle of Pharsalia he commanded the left wing. He afterwards returned to Rome with the appointment of master of the horse and governor of Italy in 47. In 44 BC he became Caesar's colleague in the consulship. Soon after Caesar was assassinated, and Antony would have shared the same fate had not Brutus stood up in his behalf. Antony, by the reading of Caesar's will, and by the oration which he delivered over his body, excited the people to anger and revenge, and the murderers were obliged to flee. After several quarrels and reconciliations with Octavianus, Caesar's heir, Antony departed to Cisalpine Gaul, which province had been conferred upon him against the will of the senate. But Marcus Cicero thundered against him in his famous Philippics; the senate declared him a public enemy, and entrusted the conduct of the war against him to Octavianus and the consuls Hirtius and Pansa. After a campaign of varied fortunes Antony fled with his troops over the Alps. Here he was joined by Lepidus, who commanded in Gaul, and through whose mediationAntony and Octavianus were again reconciled. It was agreed that the .Roman world should be divided among the three conspirators, who were called triumvirs.
Antony was to take Gaul; Lepidus, Spain; and Octavianus, Africa and Sicily. They decided upon the proscription of their mutual enemies, each giving up his friends to the others, the most celebrated of the victims being Marcus Cicero the orator. Antony and Octavianus departed in 42 for Macedonia, where the united forces of their enemies, Brutus and Cassius, formed a powerful army, which was, however, speedily defeated at Philippi. Antony next visited Athens, and thence proceeded to Asia. In Cilicia he ordered Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, to apologize for her insolent behaviour to the triumviri. She appeared in person, and her charms fettered him for ever. He followed her to Alexandria, where he bestowed not even a thought upon the affairs of the world, until he was aroused by a report that hostilities had commenced in Italy between his own relatives and Octavianus.
A short war followed, which was decided in favour of Octavianus before the arrival of Antony in Italy. A reconciliation was effected, which was sealed by the marriage of Antony with Octavia, the sister of Octavianus. A new division of the Roman dominions was now made in 40, by which Antony obtained the East, Octavianus the West. After his return to AsiaAntony gave himself up entirely to Cleopatra, assuming the style of an eastern despot, and so alienating many of his adherents and embittering public opinion against him at Rome. At length war was declared at Rome against the Queen of Egypt, and Antony was deprived of his consulship and government. Each party assembled its forces, and Antony lost, in the naval battle at Actium in 31 BC, the dominion of the world. He followed Cleopatra to Alexandria, and on the arrival of Octavianus his fleet and cavalry deserted, and his infantry was defeated. Deceived by a false report which Cleopatra had disseminated of her death, he killed himself by falling upon his own sword in 30 BC. Research Marcus Antonius
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