THE CONFRONTATION BETWEEN CICERO AND ANTONY

Abstract

The article deals with the confrontation between Cicero and Mark Antony, which was the most dramatic event in Ancient Rome after the assassination of Caesar in 44-43 BC. This event ultimately determined the establishment of Gaius Octavian’s rule in the country.

It is noted that after Caesar’s assassination, Antony’s aspiration for dictatorship convinced Cicero of the futility of Senatorial opposition. He understood that whoever destroyed Antony would bring an end to the civil war in the Republic, which Cicero regarded as the logical continuation of the cause initiated by the conspirators. In the struggle against Antony, he also involved Octavian. According to Cicero’s plan, he himself would serve as the political leader, while Octavian would act as the military commander.

Cicero was characterized by easy and swift victories as in the cases of Verres and Catiline. He also prevailed against Clodius, though this was achieved through a very hard struggle. Although Cicero suffered defeat in his confrontation with Caesar, he preserved what mattered most - his dignity. Only his clash with Mark Antony took on the nature of a life-and-death struggle. Cicero’s strength lay in his words. It was precisely in the ″Philippics″ that the orator voiced public accusations against Antony, in which the twists and turns of the struggle between the Republicans and the Caesarians were also revealed.

In the critical situation, Cicero made political miscalculations. The coalition of Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian placed him on the list of outlaws. The orator’s death later took on the form of a literary myth. Virtually every writer who addressed this event agreed that the great Roman died a heroic death. While other episodes of Cicero’s life had provoked differing opinions -he was often accused of egoism, inconsistency, and so on - this time everyone was unanimous that, before his death, he behaved with remarkable dignity, as befits a true hero. Cicero was the last “lone lion” defending the Republic, and with his death, the existence of the republican opposition in ancient Rome essentially came to an end.

Key words: Ancient Rome, confrontation between Cicero and Antony, Philippics, proscriptions.