What kind of obstacles did Mark Antony face?

Answer 1

Mark Antony faced several types of obstacles following the assassination of his friend Julius Caesar. The nature of the obstacles was political, financial, military and public personal reputation problems. These obstacles can be summarized in the following manner: As a Caesarian Antony had to avoid the political problem of being next on the list of assassination by Caesar's enemies in the Senate. Octavian was an obstacle for Antony's power in several ways. Cicero became Antony's biggest obstacle by tarnishing his reputation and had Antony declared an enemy of the state. Brutus became an obstacle by refusing to relinquish his governorship of Cisalpine Gaul. The armies of the senate and of Octavian became an obstacle.

Answer 2

Caesar's Civil War had been between his and the forces of the senate. The conflict arose because the senate had tried to end Caesar's political career because it was afraid of his enormous political and military power and popularity. Caesar had levied many legions to fight his Gallic Wars. He commanded a large army of battle-hardened veterans and his conquest of Gaul made him very popular. He was also popular with the middle and lower classes because he was a popularis - a political faction which championed the cause of the poor and was in conflict with the optimates, a conservative political faction which favoured the interests of the aristocracy. The senate was the power base of the optimates.

Caesar had concentrated power in his hands by weakening the senate and the optimates. With his death, the senate and the optimates regained strength. Mark Antony was a key caesarian (supporter of Caesar). He was a second cousin of Caesar's and Caesar was his patron, Caesar appointed him as staff officer in the Gallic Wars and he proved to be one of his best generals. Caesar promoted Antony through he ladder of of the offices of state. He also had made Antony the administrator of Italy in 47 BC and co-consul (head of the republic) in 44 BC.

The conflict between optimates and caesarians intensified after Caesar's death. Mark Antony wanted to revenge his death (he was assassinated by optimate senators) and became the leader of the caesarians (until Octavian replaced him as the main leader). There was a conflict between Mark Antony and Cicero, a senator who was the spokesman of the senate, the leader of the optimates and a formidable orator.

Answer 3

The resolution of mark Antony actual (not potential) problems with the senate came with the formation of the Second triumvirate, a three-man alliance between Mark Antony, Octavian and Lepidus in 43 BC. This alliance was so powerful that it was given a five-year mandate (43-38 BC) to govern the Republic with extraordinary powers, effectively becoming a three-man directorate. This triumvirate fought and won the Liberator's Civil War (43-42 BC) against Brutus and Cassius, the leaders of Caesar's assassination. The mandate of the Triumvirate was renewed for another five years (37-33 BC).

Prior to the formation of the Second triumvirate Mark Antony did not mange to resolve his problems with the senate by himself. The Triumvirate was the solution to the problem. The obstacles he had experienced were:

1) Mark Antony had to reach a compromise with the senate.The senate was the power base of the optimates, a conservative political faction which favoured the aristocracy. The assassins of Caesar were optimate senators. It was also thought that Crassus one of the lenders of Caesar's assassination wanted to kill Mark Antony as well. As a popularis, a political faction which championed the cause of the poor, Caesar had fought and won his civil war against the optimates and weakened their power once he was in charge. Antony assumed the leadership of the Caesarians (the supporters of Caesar). To negotiate a compromise between the two rival factions, Mark Antony, as the consul for the year, summoned a senate session two days after Caesar's death. With Caesar's death, the senate become stronger and found in Cicero, who was a formidable orator, a powerful spokesman and a leader for the optimates. Cicero arranged for the Senate to agree not to declare that Caesar was a tyrant, which gave the Caesareans lawful legitimacy, kept Caesar's reforms and policies intact and allowed the retention of his pending political appointments. In exchange, the assassins of Caesar were given an amnesty and their leaders, Brutus and Cassius, where given the governorship of Cisalpine Gaul (northern Italy) and Syria respectively. This strengthened the optimate power in the eastern provinces and gave them control of northern Italy, which was strategically important. Thus, the Caesarians and Mark Antony, who had ambitions of becoming the sole ruler of Rome and her territories, had limited power.

2) Cicero became Antony's biggest obstacle. As a formidable orator Cicero became extremely popular in Rome and led of the opposition against Antony.

2 a) Cicero turned Antony's personal reputation obstacle by tarnishing it, thus weakening his popular support and political position. He did so with a series of long and scathing speeches against Antony (the Philippics). This included Antony indulging in the most extravagant excesses when he was the administrator of Italy in 47 BC and his appropriation of Pompey's property which he pretended to have bought. Caesar had insisted on Antony paying for this property.

2 b) Cicero tried to play Octavian against Antony. He had the senate admit Octavian as a senator and grant him imperium (the power to command an army), thus legalising Octavian's command of the troops he had levied privately. Cicero also repeatedly praised him, hoping to win him over to the optimate (senate) cause.

2 C) Cicero had Antony declared enemy of the state. He put this motion forward when Antony ordered the province of Cisalpine Gaul to be transferred to him, but this was delayed by Lucius Piso, Caesar's father-in-law. Antony was later declared enemy of the state when he besieged Mutina (see below). This meant that Antony was to be executed and his property was to be confiscated.

3) Mark Antony needed money to finance his political ambitions. He was in debt. As the executor of Caesar's will, he withheld the implementation of an important part of Caesar's will: the donation of a sum of money to every roman citizen living in the city of Rome. It is not clear whether Antony actually appropriated this money. As consul, he ordered the Senate to transfer the governorship of Cisalpine Gaul from Brutus to him to gain access to its resources and to gain its strategically important location.

4) Brutus became an obstacle by refusing to relinquish his governorship of Cisalpine Gaul. Expecting an attack by Mark Antony, he occupied the city of Mutina (modern Piacenza) and prepared for a siege. Antony did siege Mutina. At this point he was declared enemy of the state.

5) Octavian was an obstacle for Antony's power.Caesar's will made Octavian his heir. Octavian returned to Rome from his military training in Illyria. Lacking in money, he demanded a part of the funds Caesar had raised for his plan for a war with the Persians and appropriated this when he landed at Brundusium, where the funds were held. On his way through southern Italy he recruited 3,000 of Caesar's veterans as his private force. In Rome he failed to persuade Antony to relinquish Caesar's estate to him. He also wanted to know why Antony delayed Caesar's to donation of money Rome's citizens. As mentioned above, Octavian was also favoured by Cicero who made him a senator and granted him imperium. With this, Octavian obtained a political base and the legitimisation his private military assets. Octavian also wooed and gained the support of several Caesarians who felt that Antony was a bad politician and too volatile, or thought that this nineteen-year-old was manipulable. This further weakened Mark Antony's support base.

6) The armies of the senate and of Octavian became an obstacle. The senate sent the armies of the two consuls of the year to fight Antony at Mutina. Octavian's own army was seconded to the consular armies. Antony won the first battle against one of the consuls, who was mortally wounded. He lost the battle against the second consul, who was also mortally wounded. Octavian became the commander of the forces of the senate in Cisalpine Gaul.Antony fled to Cisalpine Gaul to levy new troops.

Answer 4

Mark Antony had to face political opposition from the senate and the optimates and challenges from Octavian - at first in the form of rivalry over the leadership of the Caesarians (the supporters of Caesar) and later from Octavian's quest to become the sole ruler of Rome and her territories. Mark Antony also had problems with his behaviour which led him to have his reputation tarnished by his opponents and financial problems, some of which were due to his profligacy.

1) The senate was an obstacle. The senate was the power base of the optimates, a conservative political faction which favoured the aristocracy. The assassins of Caesar were optimate senators. It was also thought that Crassus one of the lenders of Caesar's assassination wanted to kill Mark Antony as well. As a popularis, a political faction which championed the cause of the poor, Caesar had fought and won his civil war against the optimates and weakened their power once he was in charge. Antony assumed the leadership of the Caesarians (the supporters of Caesar). To negotiate a compromise between the two rival factions, Mark Antony, as the consul for the year, summoned a senate session two days after Caesar's death. With Caesar's death, the senate become stronger and found in Cicero, who was a formidable orator, a powerful spokesman and a leader for the optimates. Cicero arranged for the Senate to agree not to declare that Caesar was a tyrant, which gave the Caesareans lawful legitimacy, kept Caesar's reforms and policies intact and allowed the retention of his pending political appointments. In exchange, the assassins of Caesar were given an amnesty and their leaders, Brutus and Cassius, where given the governorship of Cisalpine Gaul (northern Italy) and Syria respectively. This strengthened the optimate power in the eastern provinces and gave them control of northern Italy, which was strategically important. Thus, the Caesarians and Mark Antony, who had ambitions of becoming the sole ruler of Rome and her territories, had limited power.

2) Cicero became Antony's biggest obstacle. As a formidable orator Cicero became extremely popular in Rome and led of the opposition against Antony.

2 a) Cicero turned Antony's personal reputation obstacle by tarnishing it, thus weakening his popular support and political position. He did so with a series of long and scathing speeches against Antony (the Philippics). This included Antony indulging in the most extravagant excesses when he was the administrator of Italy in 47 BC and his appropriation of Pompey's property which he pretended to have bought. Caesar had insisted on Antony paying for this property.

2 b) Cicero tried to play Octavian against Antony. He had the senate admit Octavian as a senator and grant him imperium (the power to command an army), thus legalising Octavian's command of the troops he had levied privately. Cicero also repeatedly praised him, hoping to win him over to the optimate (senate) cause.

2 C) Cicero had Antony declared enemy of the state. He put this motion forward when Antony ordered the province of Cisalpine Gaul to be transferred to him, but this was delayed by Lucius Piso, Caesar's father-in-law. Antony was later declared enemy of the state when he besieged Mutina (see below). This meant that Antony was to be executed and his property was to be confiscated.

3) Mark Antony needed money to finance his political ambitions. He was in debt. As the executor of Caesar's will, he withheld the implementation of an important part of Caesar's will: the donation of a sum of money to every roman citizen living in the city of Rome. It is not clear whether Antony actually appropriated this money. As consul, he ordered the Senate to transfer the governorship of Cisalpine Gaul from Brutus to him to gain access to its resources and to gain its strategically important location.

4) Brutus became an obstacle by refusing to relinquish his governorship of Cisalpine Gaul. Expecting an attack by Mark Antony, he occupied the city of Mutina (modern Piacenza) and prepared for a siege. Antony did siege Mutina. At this point he was declared enemy of the state.

5) Octavian was an obstacle for Antony's power.Caesar's will made Octavian his heir. Octavian returned to Rome from his military training in Illyria. Lacking in money, he demanded a part of the funds Caesar had raised for his plan for a war with the Persians and appropriated this when he landed at Brundusium, where the funds were held. On his way through southern Italy he recruited 3,000 of Caesar's veterans as his private force. In Rome he failed to persuade Antony to relinquish Caesar's estate to him. He also wanted to know why Antony delayed Caesar's to donation of money Rome's citizens. As mentioned above, Octavian was also favoured by Cicero who made him a senator and granted him imperium. With this, Octavian obtained a political base and the legitimisation his private military assets. Octavian also wooed and gained the support of several Caesarians who felt that Antony was a bad politician and too volatile, or thought that this nineteen-year-old was manipulable. This further weakened Mark Antony's support base.

6) The armies of the senate and of Octavian became an obstacle. The senate sent the armies of the two consuls of the year to fight Antony at Mutina. Octavian's own army was seconded to the consular armies. Antony won the first battle against one of the consuls, who was mortally wounded. He lost the battle against the second consul, who was also mortally wounded. Octavian became the commander of the forces of the senate in Cisalpine Gaul.Antony fled to Cisalpine Gaul to levy new troops.

Octavian, who was no fool, knew that the senate wanted to manipulate and use him. He refused to continue the fight against Antony, demanded the decree that declared Antony an enemy of the state be repealed, and demanded to be elected as consul. When the senate refused, he marched his armies on Rome and forced the senate to have him elected as consul. Meanwhile Antony had allied with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, another leading Caesarian. Octavian joined this alliance and the Second Triumvirate was formed. It was given a five-year mandate to govern the republic with extraordinary powers, effectively becoming a three-man directorate. This triumvirate fought and won the Liberator's Civil War against Brutus and Cassius, the leaders of Caesar's assassination.

7) Financial problems reoccurred due to Mark Antony's profligacy. After winning the Liberator's war, the Agreement of Brundisium gave Antony control over the eastern part of the Roman territories, Octavian got the control over the western part, and Lepidus over Hispania and Africa (north-western Africa). Later Octavian expelled Lepidus from the Triumvirate. The eastern provinces Mark Antony controlled were very rich. Yet, with his great extravagance, he run short of money. He resolved this problem by allying with Cleopatra VII of Egypt. Egypt was immensely wealthy, it was the richest land in the Mediterranean, and Cleopatra was the "richest woman in the world." Mark Antony became Cleopatra's lover and had three children with her.

8) Octavian became Mark Antony's obstacle again.Mark Antony was happy with his control over the Rome's eastern provinces and over Egypt through his relationship with Cleopatra. He no longer wished to be the sole ruler of all Roman territories. He started turning the east into a kingdom ruled by him, Cleopatra, the children he had with her and the child Cleopatra had with Caesar (Caesarion). Alexander Helios was made king of Armenia, Media (in eastern Turkey) and even Persia, which was not under Roman control. His twin Selene was made king of Cyrenaica (eastern Libya). Caesarion was made ruler of Egypt together with and Cleopatra. Caesarion became King of Kings and Cleopatra became Queen of Queens.

This division of the east among Cleopatra's children was not welcomed in the west. However, it was not an immediate threat to Octavian's control over the west or his political position more in general. However, Antony declared Caesarion the legitimate son of Caesar and Caesar's heir, despite Octavian having been named as heir in Caesar's will. This was a serious matter for Octavian. His power base and the source of his popularity was his adoption by Caesar and his claim as his heir. He refused to acknowledge Antony's declaration because he saw his position threatened by the child of the richest woman in the world. Octavian started a smear campaign to weaken Anthony's standing in Rome and to set the city of Rome against him. Antony responded with his own Propaganda campaign. Octavian managed to rally Rome against Antony. The thing that truly incensed the Romans was not Octavian's accusations, but the fact that he revealed that Antony intended to be buried in Alexandria with Cleopatra, instead of Rome. This shows that Antony was only interested in the east.

Octavian found an excuse to declare war on Cleopatra as a ruse to fight Antony, whom he knew he would come to her aid. This was the beginning of the Final Civil War of the Roman Republic in which Octavian defeated the forces of Antony and Cleopatra.