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The Roman Revolution

Civil War . . . Again

By the autumn, Octavian felt genuinely threatened by Antony. In October, he took a desperate gamble: on his own authority and completely without any legal standing, he issued to call to arms to his father's veterans. This was a critical moment for the young man. He was banking everything on the power of a mere name -- Julius Caesar. And it worked. The veterans turned out in great numbers and Octavian had his army.

Cicero, ever the hopeful manipulator, had now cast Octavian in the role of champion of the Republic and Antony the great villian (Antony was, after all, Caesar's old friend, and Cicero hated Julius Caesar). Cicero, like Antony, believed he could steer the young Octavian along chosen paths.

So Cicero appealed to Octavian to save the Republic and the Senate declared Antony an outlaw in February 43. Antony withdrew to Gaul and gathered to himself 22 legions, a formidable force. He re-entered Italy in the summer of 43.

Meanwhile, over the winter, the Senate had managed to anger Octavian. Most senators did not really like him because he simply refused to play the role of pawn. He had his own course in mind and would cooperate with the Senate only so long as it served his purpose.

So, with Antony coming from the north, Octavian struck first against the Senate. He occupied Rome with his army and forced the Senate to revoke the amnesty for Brutus and Cassius -- one of his goals was to avenge his father's murder. He then turned his attention to his father's friend.