The Rise and Fall of Marc Antony

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There is much to be said about classical Rome, with all the ancient city-states and notable historic figures like Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Augustus. The Roman Empire, which was formerly called the Roman Republic, favored aristocracy and maintained a government staffed by aristocrats who advised on policy and selected magistrates, with the senate serving as the center of Roman political life. Rome also had many military commanders who helped expand Roman territory and wealth by conquering lands, enslaving prisoners, and establishing trade; however, this disgruntled some Romans who didn’t like the fact that foreigners were gaining Roman citizenship. Consequently, larger gaps of difference between the rich and poor grew, making it difficult for Rome to maintain a balanced constitution, which created much political unrest in Rome. Even with all the political mayhem in Rome, one man was able to rise up from being a misguided youth, to become a prominent military leader, and ultimately, after death becoming a world-renowned historic figure. His name was Marc Antony.
Marcus Antonius (Marc Antony) was born in 83 B.C, in Rome, to parents Marcus Antonius Creticus and Julia Caesar (Julius Caesar’s cousin). Antony was born during a period, in the first century of the Roman Republic, which was marked by many social wars (91B.C. – 71B.C.). During this time, Antony was a youth with a very promising future, with socially elite parents and access to a good education. However, his future became shaken when he met his childhood friend Curio, who turned Antony unto a lifestyle filled with women, drinking, and gambling (Bio.com). So much so, that at an early age Antony owed a gambling debt of 250 talents (Plutarch). Staff at Ancient.edu, points out ...

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...me and legacy from the history books, but here I am today, nearly 2000 thousand years’ later, reading and conducting a research report on his famed, yet troubled life. It just goes to show, you just can’t keep a good man down.

Works Cited

Bio.com. "Mark Antony Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
"Brutus and Cassius." Brutus and Cassius. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. .
History.com Staff. "Mark Antony." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
Mark, Joshua J. "Marcus Antonius." Ancient History Encyclopedia. N.p., 20 Dec. 2011. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.
Plutarch. "Antony." The Internet Classics Archive | Antony by Plutarch. Trans. John Dryden. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 Mar. 2014
Simkin, John. "Mark Antony." Spartacus Educational. N.p., June 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

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