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With the defeat of Brutus and Cassius Longinus at the Battle of Philippi in 42 BC and Lepidus’ expulsion from the Triumvirate in 36, Octavian and Marc Antony had become the two most powerful men in the Roman world. Whilst Antony oversaw matters in the East, he embarked on a love affair with the Egyptian queen Cleopatra, despite his marriage to Octavian’s sister Octavia. Octavian used this to fuel a propaganda campaign against Antony, and seized his will from the Temple of Vesta which revealed the latter’s intentions to distribute lands conquered by Rome amongst Cleopatra’s offspring, and that he wished to be buried in Egypt with Cleopatra rather than in Rome.
The result of Octavian’s political manoeuvres was that the Senate declared war on Egypt, and thus Antony, who was enthralled to the Egyptian queen. In the aftermath of Octavian’s decisive victory at Actium, both Marc Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. The ancient sources have it that Cleopatra remained alive for some time following Antony’s death, and that she attempted to bargain for the life of Caesarion, her son by Julius Caesar, with promise of her lifelong imprisonment at Rome. Suetonius relates that Octavian desired to keep Cleopatra alive so that she would be the crowning glory of his triumph upon his return to Rome, and was bitterly disappointed when he learned she had ended her life with a snake bite.
The reverse type no doubt alludes to Octavian’s triumph following his victory over Cleopatra and Antony, and is part of a series of coinage struck to pay his soldiers at a time which marks the transition from Republic to Empire. CAESAR DIVI F : Caesar, son of the divine.
The result of Octavian’s political manoeuvres was that the Senate declared war on Egypt, and thus Antony, who was enthralled to the Egyptian queen. In the aftermath of Octavian’s decisive victory at Actium, both Marc Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide. The ancient sources have it that Cleopatra remained alive for some time following Antony’s death, and that she attempted to bargain for the life of Caesarion, her son by Julius Caesar, with promise of her lifelong imprisonment at Rome. Suetonius relates that Octavian desired to keep Cleopatra alive so that she would be the crowning glory of his triumph upon his return to Rome, and was bitterly disappointed when he learned she had ended her life with a snake bite.
The reverse type no doubt alludes to Octavian’s triumph following his victory over Cleopatra and Antony, and is part of a series of coinage struck to pay his soldiers at a time which marks the transition from Republic to Empire. CAESAR DIVI F : Caesar, son of the divine.