Mark Antony

Hello! My name is Marcus Antonius, but you probably know me as Mark Antony. My story begins in the great city of Rome, where I was born on January 14th, 83 BCE. I came from a noble family, but my path wasn't always easy. I decided early on that I wanted to be a soldier, to lead men and fight for the glory of Rome. In 57 BCE, I began my military career in the East, where I quickly learned I was a natural commander, especially on horseback.

My life changed when I joined forces with my relative, the brilliant general Julius Caesar. Starting around 54 BCE, I served as one of his top commanders during the long and difficult Gallic Wars. He trusted me, and I learned so much from him. When a terrible civil war broke out in 49 BCE between Caesar and his rival, Pompey, I stood by Caesar's side. I was his second-in-command at the famous Battle of Pharsalus in 48 BCE, a victory that made Caesar the most powerful man in Rome.

Rome was in shock when, on the Ides of March—that's March 15th, 44 BCE—a group of senators assassinated Caesar. I was heartbroken and furious. At his public funeral, I gave a powerful speech, showing the crowd Caesar's bloody toga and reminding them of all he had done for Rome. My words stirred the Roman people, and they turned against the men who had killed their leader.

To restore order and punish Caesar's enemies, I formed an alliance in 43 BCE with Caesar's young heir, Octavian, and another general named Lepidus. We called ourselves the Second Triumvirate, and we ruled Rome together. In 42 BCE, our combined armies met the forces of the assassins at the Battle of Philippi. We were victorious, and Caesar's death was finally avenged.

After our victory, we divided the Roman world. I took charge of the rich eastern provinces. It was there, in 41 BCE, that I met the famous and brilliant Queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. She was not just beautiful; she was intelligent, powerful, and a clever ruler. We formed a political alliance, but it soon became a deep personal one as well. We fell in love, and together we dreamed of a powerful future for our children and our kingdoms.

Back in Rome, my former ally Octavian grew suspicious and jealous of my power and my relationship with Cleopatra. He was a master of politics and began to turn the Roman people against me, painting me as a man who had forgotten Rome for a foreign queen. Our partnership crumbled, and the Roman world was once again plunged into a final, massive civil war—this time, between Octavian and me.

Our fate was decided on September 2nd, 31 BCE, in a huge naval battle off the coast of Greece called the Battle of Actium. It was a disaster. Our fleet was defeated by Octavian's navy, and Cleopatra and I were forced to flee back to Egypt. Octavian's army followed us, and by 30 BCE, they had surrounded our last stronghold in the city of Alexandria. Seeing no way out, I ended my own life.

I lived to be 53 years old. My life was a whirlwind of battles, politics, and a love that would be remembered for thousands of years. My defeat marked the end of an era; the Roman Republic, which had stood for nearly 500 years, was no more. My rival, Octavian, became the first Roman Emperor, taking the name Augustus. Today, people remember me as a great Roman general, but also for my famous story with Cleopatra, a tale of power and passion that writers like William Shakespeare would one day share with the world.