Marc Antony And The Roman Empire - 1430 Words

â€Å"Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears; I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him.† These famous words were spoken by Marc Antony at Julius Caesar’s funeral as if to solidify that Caesar has passed and the Romans should look forward without nostalgia of gone-by emperors. Marc Antony was a leader in the change of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire that spanned thousands of miles in its prime. Born in January of 83 BC to the gens Antonia, which was a prominent family with both patrician and plebeian ties. His father was Marcus Antonius Creticus, and his mother was Julia Antonia, a distant relative to Julius Caesar. (Life of Antonius 4.263). Growing up Antony had many misfortunes with his father dying in Crete in 71 BC, the man†¦show more content†¦During this campaign through Egypt Antony came to meet Cleopatra for the first time, who at the time was the 14-year old daughter of Ptolemy XII, it was believed that this meeting between the two is w hat sparked Antony’s love and desire for Cleopatra. While Antony was fighting in the East he was unaware of plot by the First Triumvirate to take control of the Republic. Once the Triumvirate had basically taken over the Republic for themselves Antony came to serve under Julius Caesar in 54 BC. At this time Caesar was in the middle of his conquest of Gaul during the Gallic Wars. While under Caesar Antony was noted as an excellent military leader and strategist, because of this Caesar took notice of Antony and the two became friends until Caesar died. After years in the conquest of Gaul Antony was sent back to Rome to begin his political career as Quaestor in 52 BC as a member of the Populares faction. However, still assigned to Caesar’s force Antony returned to Gaul to command the cavalry in the Battle of Alesia against the Gallic High King Vercingetorix. Antony was eventually promoted to Legate by Caesar and given command of two legions. While all of this was happenin g for Antony the alliance between