After Caesar's assassination, there was a sharp polarization of political forces in the Roman Empire. Roman society was divided into supporters of the traditional devices of Republicans and supporters of Caesar's program. Cicero, Brutus, and Cassius led Republican Party. Caesar’s close associates led the party of supporters of his program - Mark Antony and Emil Lepidus official deputy of the dictator. Soon 19-year-old Caesar's heir, Gaius Octavius has joined them (Duducu). On the testament of Caesar, he was adopted and, according to the ancient Roman tradition, received a new name Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus. Moreover, he inherited a vast fortune of the dictator. Implementation of the Caesar's will became the main slogan of Octavian, within this; he defiantly sold his property and on every occasion handed out inherited money to the citizens of Rome. With the help of Cicero, Octavian managed to get good relations with the Senate, while Antony, on the contrary, had complex relations with the Senators.
The supporters of the deceased Caesar rallied around Mark Antony that expelled Caesar murderers from the Rome. In his hands were the money, last will and testament of the dictator. It seems that he has the best chance to take the place of Caesar. Once the National Assembly has approved the decision to appoint the province of Gaul to the Mark Antony, he joined the armed struggle against its former governor Decimus Brutus. At the same time, Senate sent an army of consuls against the Mark Antony. Legions of the veterans who gathered around Octavian also joined this army. The fight between consular army and Anthony's troops happened near the city of Mutina, where was captured, Decimus Brutus. Decimus Brutus was defeated and he has decided to retreat. Unfortunately, both consuls were killed, and Octavian who had no military talent, was the only winner.
The soldier’s veterans asked for negotiations between “successors”. Along with Octavian and Anthony, Emil Lepidus also took part in them. A result of this negotiation was the so-called Second Triumvirate. Their first purpose was the final victory over the republican forces. However, the main military victory has been won on the Balkan Peninsula in 42 BC troops of Junius Brutus and the army of Antony and Octavian defeated Cassius Longinus (Appian). After the victory over their opponent’s triumvirs divided the Empire into three parts - Octavian got the western part, Eastern - Anthony, and Lepidus got Spain and Africa.
In Italy Octavian had a lot of work, he pacified the armed opposition of Mark Antony’s brother, fought against the robber band on the road, put out the soldiers' riots, abolished the naval blockade of the peninsula, which was carried out by the Sextus. Octavian has established himself as a flexible but resolute politician and a good administrator. Gradually Romans got used to the new owner of the state. Without many struggles, Lepidus was driven from power, and the whole West was in Octavian's hands. Caesar's successor got authority and popularity thanks to a victory over Sextus and provided safety grain supply to the Rome. Over the next few years, he and his associates were strongly engaged in public affairs. Furthermore, Octavian and his troops have achieved even greater fame during the conquest of Illyria in 35-33 years (Jones).
Meanwhile, Anthony was more and more deeply involved in the east affairs, he has lost his influence because of unsuccessful Parthian campaigns and became a stranger to the Roman people. In Tarsus, he met with the Egyptian queen Cleopatra and fell in love with her. In the second half of the 30s BC, a clash between two powerful rulers was already inevitable. Thus, Octavian got the opportunity to become the head of Italy and Rome, who fights with the eastern queen and the traitor of Roman Empire.
One of them was supposed to inherit the entire Roman Empire. If the Mark Antony had become emperor, he would set the one-man rule, so you should not be surprised that many of the Romans did not want to see him at the head of the country, moreover, he was subordinate to the will of the eastern queen. Octavian was more like a man loyal to the traditions of the Roman Empire.
Anthony's actions irritated residents of Rome; for the sake of Cleopatra, he divorced Octavian's sister Octavia. He gave the lands of the Roman Empire to Cleopatra and her children. On the other hand, many aristocrats thought that, like the late Caesar, Octavian would infringe on the rights of the nobility. They thought that during the reign of Mark Antonius they would have more freedom because the emperor would be in Egypt – far from Rome. On January 32 BC Consul Sosius, made in Senate a speech against the dictatorial aspirations of the young Caesar. In response to this speech, armed supporters of Octavian came the Senate, at the same night; both consuls and 300 senators had fled to Mark Antony. Both opponents began to draw up significant forces to the coast of the Ionian Sea (Anthony to Greek, Octavian to Italian). Octavian presented the conflict as an external war against the Egyptian queen. In the eyes of his people, Anthony was a betrayer that fought against his own country.
In early spring '31 BC Octavian's military commander, Agrippa managed to land troops on the Balkan Peninsula. Anthony's camp including numerous fleet, located at Actium in northwestern Greece, was in the blockade. September 2 Anthony fleet tried to break the blockade. Possibly, Octavian's opponent intended to go to Egypt where he still had devoted troops. However, Agrippa destroyed the enemy fleet. At the crucial moment of battle, the Egyptian ships of Cleopatra set sails and, having broken through the ranks of Egyptian and opponent’s ships, sharply turned to the south and left the battlefield towards the Peloponnese (Roberts, 132). Mark Anthony, left his people to the mercy of fate, and in a two ships rushed in pursuit of his beloved, apparently for him, she was more important than all the wars in the world. The Battle of Actium is considered the beginning of a new era in the history of Rome – the Imperial era. The Civil War was ended with the victory of Octavian, who became the ruler of Roman Empire for another few decades. Octavian annexed Egypt and seized a huge treasures. The following year, Octavian returned to Rome, where he celebrated a remarkable triple triumph: the conquest of Illyria, the victory of Actium and capture of Egypt. Thus, the power of the Octavian in Empire became undeniable, but its legality still remained undecided. Since 31 BC he was elected at the Consulate every year.
While Antony and Cleopatra took refuge in Alexandria. August 1, 30 BC Octavian’s fleet came to the port of Alexandria. The legions and navy of Anthony took the side of his opponent young Caesar. Therefore, Antony committed suicide, and Cleopatra was taken into custody. A few days later the queen was found dead, she was lying on a bed in royal attire, with a tiara on her head. According to legend, this femme fatale committed suicide with the help of a poisonous snake.
After Caesar's death, Civil wars were the final stage of the history of the Roman republic. The transition to monarchy was the result of class struggle and external expansion of Rome. Civil wars prepared a final victory of monarchic orders in Rome. After a long civil war, Italian society was interested only in peace, and the restoration of normal life. The most active opponents of Octavian were dead. The survived supporters of Mark Anthony were politically weakened and demoralized. In order to preserve their position, they were ready to support Octavian, or, at least, to go on a deal with him.
Works Cited
Appian. “The Civil Wars”. Penguin UK, 2005. Web. Accessed 21 Mar 2016 at
<https://books.google.com/books?id=qaoimf6vb_UC&printsec=frontcover&hl=uk#v=onepage&q&f=false>
Jones, Jim. “Roman History Timeline”. West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Web.
Accessed 21 Mar 2016 at <http://courses.wcupa.edu/jones/his101/web/t-roman.htm>
Roberts, Peter. “HSC Ancient History”. Pascal Press, 2006. Web. Accessed 21 Mar 2016 at
<https://books.google.com/books?id=Krh7n9AyS40C&printsec=frontcover&hl=uk#v=onepage&q&f=false>
