Octavian's Rise to Power

Paper Summary:

This paper describes the rise to power of Octavian in 27 BCE, looking at how Cicero first supported Octavian as a potential leader of the Roman Republic and a bulwark against the threat of Antony's dictatorship over Rome and later opposed him when Octavian took sides with Antony. The paper then describes the defeat of Brutus at the hands of Antony and Octavian, the demise of Antony at the hands of Octavian and Octavian's final ascent to power.

From the Paper:

"Cicero hated tyrants and spent much of his later political life seeking a leader who would restore the Roman Republic. To this end, he tried to use Octavian as a potential bulwark against the threat of Antony's dictatorship over Rome, but to Cicero's great dismay, Octavian was only the lesser of two evils. He, too, sought absolute political power and, using Cicero's popularity and controlling the Senate, he reached his goal (in 27 BCE, crowning himself princeps, and later, emperor.) In many ways, Cicero opposed Octavian's rise to power, especially when Octavian joined forced with Antony in a triumvirate with Lepidus. In 43 BCE, this "second" triumvirate had Cicero executed as an enemy of the state. "

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