Marcus Antonius

Marcus Antonius is the Latin name of Mark Antony (83-30 B.C.) who was a Roman general and triumvir. He was son of Marcus Antonius Creticus, and grandson of Marcus Antonius (143-87 B.C.), a famous Roman orator and consul, slain in the civil war between Marius and Sulla, having sided with the latter.

Mark Antony was a warm partisan of Julius Cæsar. After assassination of Caesar in 44 BC, he defeated Brutus and Cassius at Philippi, formed a triumvirate with Octavius and Lepidus. He took charge of the Eastern Empire the same year where he fell in love with the famous Cleopatra. He quarreled with Octavius which led to his final defeat. Octavius defeated him in the naval battle of Actium, and afterwards killed himself.