cicero and MA Flashcards
When did Caesar get assassinated
Ides of March 44Bc
Cicero was thrilled
saw it as an opportunity to restore the Res Public
What did MA do upon Caesar’s death
- first of all fled Rome, fearing for his life
- he then returned and seized the treasury, Caesar’s wife Calpurnia gave him caesar’s papers and custody of his property
- upon his return Lepidus (C’s master of the horse) brought 6000 troops to Rome to support Antony
What temporary agreement did the senate make with MA upon Caesar’s death
- they made a compromise in which Antoy as consul that year assured responsibility for delivering Caesar’s plans, on the understanding that the conspirators would not be put on trial for his murder
Why did this compormise plan not work
- when MA gives Caesar a public funeral (against Cicero’s wishes) it sparks a riot with the people demanding punishment of Caesar’s assasins
- the liberators fleed inc Brutus and cassius who go to greece because its on the east side with pompey
What happened at Caesar’s funeral
- his will leaving largesse to the population was read out
- it was also announced in his will that he had adopted his nephew Gaius Octavius to be his heir, who was to continue his work
What did Mark Antony do upon the news that Octavaian was indeed the rightful heir
- he fortified himself, bribing Caesar’s veterans for their military loyalty and securing a 5 year command of Gaul for himself
- To gain support he passes the Lex Antonia (dictatorship + abolished, senate appeased)
- However he then lose support as he is opposed to Caesar’s deification (as it would make octavian son of a god)
What happened when Cicero tried to leave Rome
- he left rome in August 44 to visit his son in Greeece, but whilst he was waiting to depart (due to bad weathr)
- he heard he was being accused of treachery to the Republican cause, leaving Rome at this critical time and that Antony was considering an alliance with the anti- Octavian senators
- he turned back immediately + by the time he returned to Rome ( 1 sept 44) he found the rivalry for Caesar’s position had been settled by the need for O and A to publicly reconcile,
- both their troops were Caesarian and didn’t wanna fight each other
What happened when Cicero returned to Rome
- he failed to attend a meeting of the senate in which Antny was proposing a new holiday be added to the state calendar in honour of Caesar
- Atony took this as a lack of support and antony made threats about him in the senate house
How did Cicero respond to Antony’s threats
- delivered his first Phillipic
Phillipics
- Cicero’s speeches attacking MA from 44 to 43
- 14 in total
- exposes him as a drunk and a philanderer
Anotny and Octavian worsening
- the rivalry between them which before was only partly settled seemed to be worsening, civil war seemed inevitable
- following a rumour of an assassination plot by octavian to kill Antony, Antony left Rome to gather military support for Macedonia
- octavian also looked for military backing from within Italy, and approached both the senate and Cicero for support
what did the senate choose
- they sided with octavian as the lesser of two evils
who were the consuls in 43
- Aulus Hirtius and Gaius Vibius Pansa
where was Antony given a province
- Macedonia
he doesn’t want to go there as it is on the east and doesn’t wanna fight Brutus and Cassius
where does antony want a province
- he wants to get Decimus Brutus’ province in cisalpine gaul so he can have a large arm
he doesn’t want to give it to him as it was his and he was one of the people who helped kill caesar
