Mark Antony
Mark Antony (83-30 BCE): Roman politician, one of the members of the Second Triumvirate, husband of queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt.
Mark Antony
- 83 BCE: Birth, son of Marcus Antonius and Julia
- 78-73 BCE: Father Marcus Antonius, praetor, sent out against the Cilician Pirates
- 72 Death of Marcus Antonius
- 71 Julia remarries with Publius Cornelius Lentulus Sura; Mark Antony is raised in his house
- 57 Aulus Gabinius, governor of Syria, employs Mark Antony
- 57-56 Operations in Judaea
- 55 Mark Antony in Egypt
- 54 Mark Antony in Gaul, takes part in Julius Caesar's campaigns against Eburones
- 52 Mark Antony in Rome, elected quaestor; rejoins Caesar at Alesia
- 51 Mark Antony's first independent legionary command
- 50 Mark Antony augur
- 49 Mark Antony tribune; he flees from Rome and offers Caesar an excuse to attack the Senate; Caesar conquers Italy
- 49/48 Caesar moves to Dyrrhachium
- 48 Mark Antony reinforces Caesar at Dyrrhachium; battle of Pharsalus
- 47 War in Alexandria: Caesar restores Cleopatra VII to the throne; Caesar made dictator, Mark Antony master of horse; Mark Antony in Italy
- 45 Mark Antony elected consul for the year 44
- February 44: Lupercalia incident
- March 44: Julius Caesar is killed (text); Cleopatra and Ptolemy XIV, who had been in Rome, return to Egypt, where Ptolemy is soon killed and Caesarion recognized as king
- Late in 44: Octavian in Rome; anti-Antonine sentiments; the consuls Hirtius and Pansa sent out against Mark Antony in northern Italy
- Early 43: War of Mutina - the Senate's troops defeat Mark Antony but the consuls are dead; Octavian attacks Rome and is made consul
- Late 43: The Second Triumvirate (Marc Antony, Octavian, Lepidus) declares war against the assassins of Caesar, led by Brutus and Cassius
- 42: Battle of Philippi: the triumvirs defeat Brutus and Cassius; Octavian will control Italy and Mark Antony will visit the east
- 41: Cleopatra meets Mark Antony in Tarsus. The Roman needs the Egyptian queen in his war against the Parthian Empire, and returns some old Ptolemaic territories to her; beginning of their affair
- 40: War of Perugia: Mark Antony's brother against Octavian, who is victorious
- 40: The Parthian king Pacorus invades Syria
- 40: Birth of the twins Alexander Helius and Cleopatra Selene
- Late 40: Renewed alliance between Mark Antony and Octavian; Mark Antony marries Octavia
- 39/38: Ventidius drives back Pacorus
- 38: Mark Antony reorganizes the east and gives Chalkis (the Bekaa valley) and parts of Cilicia to Cleopatra; later, she is allowed to govern, as vassal, parts of Phoenicia, Judaea (cordial relations with king Herod), Cyrenaica, and Crete
- 37: Renewed alliance with Octavian
- 37: Mark Antony and his wife Octavia are separated; he renews his affair with Cleopatra
- 36: Mark Antony's Parthian War: he invades Media
- 34: Mark Antony invades Armenia and takes its king Artavasdes II captive; triumph; Cleopatra is called "new Isis" and "queen of kings"
- 33: Mark Antony prepares a new attack on Parthia but moves to the west; preparation of war with Octavian
- 32: Mark Antony divorces his wive Octavia; outbreak of war between Octavian and Mark Antony
- 31: Mark Antony and Cleopatra move to Greece, where they are isolated by Octavian's admiral Agrippa; although they are able to win a tactical victory and break out of their isolated position at Actium, the campaign is a disaster and Octavian is able to achieve control of the east
- Cleopatra flees to Alexandria and opens negotiations with Octavian; her purpose is to save her children and keep the Ptolemaic kingdom intact; Artavasdes II is executed
- 12 August 30: After Octavian has declined to negotiate, Cleopatra reportedly commits suicide; Marc Antony does the same. Their children survive, but Caesarion is killed.
Coin of Lucius Antonius |
Coin of Mark Antony for a naval unit |
Coin of the Third Legion, later called Augusta |
Coin of XXI Rapax |