Aside from Julius Caesar, Marc Antony is a very important person in Roman history. Marc Antony did many things such as being a politician and a general in 83-30 B.C. In his early life he already had a lot going on considering the fact that his family was involved in the a higher class that was well respected by the Romans. Marc Antony’s great grandfather was a noted consul and orator, his father was a military commander which was the reason as in why Marc Antony and his family were well respected.
As a young man, Marc Antony has always been well known because of what his family's name. He was born in 83 B.C.E into a family of politics Marcus Antonius Creticus, which was his father was a Roman politician. His mother in the on the hand was a distant cousin of Julius Caesar. He had grown up to be expected to be good since he came from a good family. As he grew up , Antony’s life went by lack of guidance from his parents, he spent his time gambling and drinking with his friends. By the time he reached age twenty he gambled so much that he ended up in great debt. It was a rumored that Antony had sexual relations with Gaius Scribonius Curio. Antony was a guy to have loads of fun in his teenage years since this was the case there isn’t much to say about his political career and all the things he did as a young politician. since he was in massive debt he decided to flee to Greece. His time in Greece he studied philosophy.
Antony was a strong supporter of Caesar’s policies. Antony’s friend Curio, moved away from the aristocratic party and lined himself up with Caesar’s populist party, using his power in oratory to convince others to do the same. When Caesar’s first started his yearlong dictatorship he asked Antony to be his second-in-command. Antony supported Caesar’s left wing at the Battle of Pharsalus while he was in Greece. A year later Antony heard rumors of a plot against Caesar but wasn’t able to warn him in time. Antony left Rome dressed as a slave but came back to protect his legacy from the senators who were against him.
Caesar took this affront to the young tribune and the orator as his excuse to march on Rome in defiance of the senate’s orders, instigated by Pompey the Great, that Caesar disband his army and return to Rome as a private citizen.
Antony's association with Publius Clodius Pulcher allowed him to start a greater prominence. Clodius made sure Antony had a position on Caesar's military staff. While he was serving under Caesar, Antony was an excellent military leader. Antony and Caesar became friends and formed somewhat of an alliance until Caesar got assassinated in. Antony was dispatched by Caesar to Rome to start on his political career. He became a member of the Populares faction. He was assigned to help Caesar with anything he needs., Antony returned to Gaul and commanded Caesar's cavalry during his victory at the Battle of Alesia against the Gallic High King Vercingetorix. Following his year in office, Antony was promoted by Caesar to the rank of Legate and assigned command of two legions
Although an incompetent administrator, Antony was still able enough to keep the supply lines open to Caesar’s forces and continually send reinforcements. In 48 BCE Antony joined Caesar in Greece, leaving Lepidus to care for Rome and, at the Battle of Pharsalus, commanded Caesar’s left wing of cavalry, helping to defeat the forces of Pompey the Great.
Following the battle, Caesar followed the fleeing Pompey to Egypt and Antony returned to Rome where he neglected his administrative duties regularly to the point of bringing disgrace upon Caesar’s newly-won rule. As a result, Antony was removed from his position upon Caesar’s return from the east, and power conferred upon Lepidus. Two years later, however, Antony was again a part of Caesar’s close circle.
When Antony went to Greece he was persuaded by Aulus Gabinius, a Roman general to join him in an expedition against Syria. With all these battles Antony met his wife Cleopatra of Egypt. Antony was instantly won over when he saw her in her beautiful robes. He decided that a love affair would be a good idea and that he would get his benefits and she would get hers. Cleopatra was interested in him because it was an opportunity to have power in Egypt and Rome and Antony was interested in her to gain the support of Rome’s largest and wealthiest client states in his campaign that he really wanted. When Cleopatra and Antony were meeting she had her sister killed off so she wouldn’t have any competition and would have the throne to herself. She was pregnant with twins, she was with Julius Caesar before she got with Antony in Caesar’s last days. When she gave birth to those twins Antony was forced to go back to Rome to fix up things with his wife and brother-in-law referring to their failures in rebelling against Octavian. When everything was good he returned to Cleopatra and made their relationship a big deal. They made sure to dress up as gods to be treated as one and they would perform special ceremonies to gain the respect of being treated like a god. Later Antony divorced Octavia. Because of this , Octavian declared war, on Cleopatra and avoided Antony. Antony and Cleopatra both turned to suicide. Antony, who thought that she died, he stabbed himself with a sword and died in Cleopatra’s arms. Cleopatra was devastated but managed to kill herself with a bite of poisonous snake. After his death all of his honors were all revoked and his statues removed.
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