Shortly after her return to Egypt her husband Ptolemy XIV died in suspicious circumstances and Cleopatra declared her son Caesarion her co-regent. Faced with the large armies of Lepidus and Mark Anthony Octavian had no choice but to join with them and the three began to hunt down Caesar’s assassins. Meanwhile Octavian seized the treasury and tried and convicted the murderers of Caesar (including a now implicated Cicero). Instead of fighting the army of Lepidus, Mark Antony simply walked into his camp whereupon Lepidus joined forced with him and Decimus’s men went over to his side. ![]() But Cicero and Octavian underestimated the popularity of Mark Antony. At Cicero’s prompting Mark Antony was declared an enemy of the Senate and the murderers of Caesar were offered pardons. While Cicero branded Mark Antony as a “loathsome man” and “a disgusting, intolerable sensualist” and derided his love of all things Greek he referred to Octavian as “an excellent boy” for whom he had “high hopes for the future”. However, Octavian was seen by many in the Senate as the lesser of two evils. He took great pains to constantly stress his relationship with Julius Caesar, prompting Mark Antony to quip “You, boy, owe everything to your name”. Octavian dressed after the manner of Apollo and Mars despite being physically rather puny and cowardly, but was also extremely intelligent and ruthless. He loved to dress after the fashion of Alexander the Great and was a devotee of Dionysus (god of wine and madness). Mark Anthony was a handsome man, known for his womanising and martial prowess, but not for his intellectual abilities. Mark Antony and Octavian could not have been more different. Yet, even at this early stage Mark Antony and Octavian were vying for power within the pro-Caesar faction. However, in Rome matters were coming to a head.Īs Caesar had predicted, his murder sparked a civil war as Mark Antony (backed by Octavian, Lepidus and the troops loyal to Caesar) wrestled with the leaders of the assassination plot (most notably Brutus, Decimus and Cassius). ![]() Cleopatra seems to have successfully managed domestic turbulence, which in previous times would have led to rioting and even rebellion. Dioscurides Phacas (medical advisor of Cleopatra) began ground breaking research into the causes and treatments of bubonic plague and Kallimachos of Thebes was so effective in implementing anti-famine measures that statues were raised in his honour. Cleopatra took steps to ensure that Sekhmet (sometimes known as the “Lady of Pestilence”) was placated and opened the royal granaries to feed her people. It is highly likely that she took a tour of the country with Caesarion to inspect the progress of these monuments and consolidate her rule.Īll was not plain sailing in Egypt as a series of poor floods from 43 to 41 BC caused famine and disease which could have been interpreted by some as signs of divine displeasure. The birth house in the temple of Montu in Iuny (Hermonthis, Armant) already depicted the divine conception of Caesarion and to it was added a kiosk featuring columns depicting Bes along with the cartouches of Cleopatra and Caesarion. In Dendera Caesarion was depicted in front of images of Cleopatra, asserting him as the primary ruler, and in Edfu Caesarion appears under the protection of the Horus falcon. She also undertook building works all over southern Egypt which emphasised the position of her son. She continued building the Caesareum to honour Caesar and it is thought that she intended to build a complementary monument to be known as the Cleopatrion to service her own cult. Cleopatra declared her son by Julius Caesar, Caesarion, co-regent. Ptolemy XIV’s name appeared on an official document dated 26 July 44 BC, but after this date he “disappeared” with many assuming he was poisoned on Cleopatra’s orders and it is notable that at around this time she dropped the epithet “brother-loving” from her titles. ![]() When she reached Egypt she immediately took steps to consolidate her rule.
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