Marcus Antonius

Marcus Antonius (14 January 83 BC – 1 August 30 BC), sometimes known as Mark Antony in English, was a Roman politician and general who was instrumental in transforming the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic to an authoritarian Roman Empire.

Antony was Julius Caesar's relative and supporter, and he served as one of his generals during the conquest of Gaul and the Civil War. While Caesar removed political opponents in Greece, North Africa, and Spain, Antony was the designated administrator of Italy. Following Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, Antony joined forces with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, another of Caesar's generals, and Octavian, Caesar's great-nephew and adopted son, to form the Second Triumvirate. The Triumvirs defeated Caesar's killers, the Liberatores, in the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC, and split the Republic's leadership among themselves. Antony was transferred to Rome's eastern provinces, which included the client state of Egypt, which was controlled by Cleopatra VII Philopator at the time, and was given command of Rome's war against Parthia.

In 36 BC, Lepidus was expelled from the association, and in 33 BC, disagreements between Antony and Octavian split the remaining Triumvirs. Their long-standing feud exploded into civil war in 31 BC, when the Roman Senate, led by Octavian, declared war on Cleopatra and labeled Antony a traitor. Later that year, at the Battle of Actium, Antony was defeated by Octavian's soldiers. Antony and Cleopatra escaped to Egypt, where they committed suicide after being defeated at the Battle of Alexandria. With Antony's death, Octavian assumed control of the Roman world. Octavian was given the title of Augustus in 27 BC, completing the transformation of the Roman Republic into an empire, with himself as the first Roman emperor.