Octavian Comes to Rome 44-42BC

Question 1

What year did Caesar become Pontifex Maximus?

Answer 1

63BC

Question 2

What year did Caesar become ‘consul’?

Answer 2

59BC

Question 3

When and who was in, the First Triumvirate?

Answer 3

60BC, Julius Caesar, Pompey the Great and Crassus.

Question 4

Why was the First Triumvirate an issue?

Answer 4

Had not been ratified by the Senate, therefore many felt it was unconstitutional and went against all the legal routes to power.

Question 5

What happened in the First Triumvirate during the years 53BC-49BC?

Answer 5

Internal fighting for power commenced. Crassus died in 53BC and a civil war broke out between Crassus and Caesar in 49BC, which led to Crassus being beheaded by the Egyptians.

Question 6

Caesar’s dictator titles.

Answer 6

49BC: Named Dictator for one year.
47BC: Named Dictator for ten years.
44BC: Named “Dictator in Perpetuity.”-‘until death’

Question 7

When and how did Caesar die?

Answer 7

15th March 44BC, he was ambushed by sixty senators outside the Pompey Theatre, all led by Brutus and Cassius. Caesar was stabbed 23 times.

Question 8

What did Caesar do?

Answer 8

-He was a well respected military general.
-Adored by the plebians, hated by the Aristocratic Senate.
-Committed a genocide on the Gaul, plundered 800 cities.
-“I came, I saw, I conquered.” -Caesar.

Question 9

How old was Octavian when he came to Rome and how old did you have to be to enter the Senate.

Answer 9

Octavian was 19, to be in the Senate you had to be 36.

Question 10

Who was Octavian before he came to Rome?

Answer 10

A member of the Octavii family who were politically insignificant. He had fought with Caesar.

Question 11

How was Octavian related to Caesar?

Answer 11

His adopted son and appointed heir. Octavian took his name when he arrived.

Question 12

What did Octavian do when he arrived in Rome after the assansination?

Answer 12

Fulfilled Caesar’s wish in his will and have every plebian 75 denarii.
(He also held games in Caesar and Venus’ honour to win popularity.)

Question 13

SOURCE: Octavian and Caesar Aureus

Answer 13

-Minted in 43 BC.
-Associating his image with Caesar.
-Both go by the same name
-However, Octavian refers to himself as consul rather than Caesar’s ‘Dictator in Perpetuity’ to appear more constitutional to the Senate.
-Octavian is presented without a laurel wreath (pacifism?) whereas Caesar has one which displays his military victories.

Question 14

When was the Battle of Mutina?

Answer 14

April 43BC

Question 15

What happened in the Battle of Mutina?

Answer 15

Mark Antony was fighting against the Senate to try avenge Caesar. Octavian was sent to fight with the Senate, he did this to win them over. Antony was defeated, however the two consuls: Hurtius and Pansa were killed.

Question 16

What happened after Antony was defeated in the Battle of Mutina?

Answer 16

Octavian expected to be made consul however the Senate rejected due to his age. With the army answering to him due to the death of the other consuls, Octavian marched on Rome, demanding he be made consul.

Question 17

When was Octavian declared consul?

Answer 17

August 43BC

Question 18

When and who was in, the Second Triumvirate?

Answer 18

43BC, Octavian, Mark Antony and Lepidus.

Question 19

Why was the Second Triumvirate originally not a problem.

Answer 19

It had been ratified by the Senate and was only meant to constitutionally be in power for five years.

Question 20

What was the Proscription Period? (43BC)

Answer 20

A time where the Second Triumvirate caused 300 out of 900 senators to be individually named enemies of the State and killed, their property being sold. They justified this by saying they were avenging Caesar.

Question 21

What was the Battle of Philippii?

Answer 21

42BC, the Second Triumvirate fought against Brutus and Cassius who both were killed, therefore leading to vicotry.

Question 22

When was Caesar deified and what did Octavian call himself?

Answer 22

42BC
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