Mark Antony is a historical figure who features as a character in the
HBOHBO is a premium television programming subsidiary of Time Warner, offers two 24/7 pay television services to over 38 million U.S...
/BBC2 original television series
RomeRome is an American-British-Italian historical drama television series created by Bruno Heller, John Milius, and William J. MacDonald. The show's first season originally aired on HBO in the United States between August 28 and November 20, 2005, subsequently being broadcast on the United Kingdom's...
, played by
James Purefoy-Early life and work:Purefoy was born in Taunton, Somerset. He was a boarder at Sherborne School which he left with only one O-level. Later he went to night school and got 11 more, then took his A-levels...
. The real
Mark AntonyMarcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and General. He was an important supporter and the loyal friend of Gaius Julius Caesar as a military commander and administrator, being Caesar's second cousin, once removed, by his mother Julia Antonia...
was a Roman general and politician and a close supporter of
Julius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar , , was a Roman military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
.
Season 1
As
Rome begins, military genius Antony serves with
Julius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Irish actor Ciarán Hinds...
in
GaulGaul is a historical name used in the context of the Roman Empire in references to the region of Western Europe approximating present day France and Belgium, but also sometimes including the Po Valley, western Switzerland, and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River...
. Elected as
tribuneTribune was a title shared by 10 elected officials in the Roman Republic. Tribunes had the power to convene the Plebeian Council and to act as its president, which also gave them the right to propose legislation before it. Also, the tribune could summon the Senate and lay proposals before it...
by Caesar's influence, Antony becomes Caesar's main political representative in Rome during the crucial period leading up to the Crossing of the Rubicon. When a measure is passed in the senate to require Caesar to abandon his army and his
imperiumImperium in a broad sense translates as 'power'. In ancient Rome the concept applied to people and meant something like 'power status' or 'authority' or could be used with a geographical connotation and meant something like 'territory'...
, which would leave him open to prosecution for
treasonIn law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more serious acts of disloyalty to one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife...
by his political enemies, Antony attempts to
vetoA veto, Latin for "I forbid", is used to denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a piece of legislation. In practice, the veto can be absolute A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is used to denote that a certain party has the right to stop unilaterally a piece of legislation....
it. However, a brawl breaks out and Antony's veto is not noted. Antony, guarded by members of the Legio XIII including
PulloTitus Pullo is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC original television series Rome, played by Ray Stevenson. He is depicted as a friendly, upbeat, devil-may-care soldier with the morals of a pirate, the appetites of a hedonist, and a total lack of personal responsibility, who discovers hidden...
and
VorenusLucius Vorenus is a semi-fictional character in the British-Italian-American historical drama television series Rome, a drama show about the fall of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Played by Scottish actor Kevin McKidd in the series, Lucius Vorenus is introduced as a main...
, attempts to return to the senate to veto the measure, but is prevented from doing so when Pullo is attacked by a member of the Pompeian gang surrounding the senate.
Fleeing to Las Animas, Antony joins Caesar in his
march on RomeThe Great Roman Civil War , aka Caesar’s Civil War, is one of the last politico-military conflicts in the Roman Republic, being the first step to empire...
. When Caesar leaves Rome to pursue the
OptimatesOptimates were the pro-aristocratic faction of the later Roman Republic. They wished to limit the power of the popular assemblies and the Tribunes of the Plebs, and to extend the power of the Senate, which was viewed as more dedicated to the interests of the aristocrats...
to Greece, Antony remains behind with the XIII, much to his chagrin.
When the war in Greece turns against Caesar, he sends for Antony. Antony considers ignoring the summons, and is urged to do so both by
PompeyGnaeus Pompey Magnus is a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Kenneth Cranham. He is depicted as a legendary general, past the days of his prime, who tries to recapture the glories of his youth as much as to do what is right for the Republic...
's emissaries and by his longtime paramour (and Caesar's niece)
Atia of the Julii__FORCETOC__Atia of the Julii is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Polly Walker. The niece of Julius Caesar and mother of Octavian/Augustus and Octavia, she is depicted as a cheerfully amoral and opportunistic manipulator...
, who also proposes that the two marry. Antony rejects both the proposition and the proposal, and proceeds to Greece in time to be present for the
Battle of PharsalusThe Battle of Pharsalus was a decisive battle of Caesar's Civil War. On 9 August 48 BC, the battle was fought at Pharsalus in central Greece between forces of the Populares faction and forces of the Optimates faction. Both factions fielded armies from the Roman Republic...
.
After the Battle, Antony returns to Rome and continues to run it in Caesar's absence. He seems to be effective in this, intimidating Cicero into abandoning his attempts to plot against Caesar. He also reestablishes his relationship with Atia after previously spurning her. At the time of Caesar's assassination, Antony is distracted. Upon seeing Caesar's corpse, Antony appears genuinely grief-stricken, and backs out of the Senate without speaking.
Season 2
He soon falls comfortably into the position of
de factoDe facto is a Latin expression that means "by [the] fact". In law, it is meant to mean "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but without being officially established"...
ruler of Rome. In "
Son of Hades"Son of Hades" is the second episode of the second season of the television series Rome.-Plot summary:With Erastes Fulmen gone, the Aventine is up for grabs, and rival gangs have taken to the streets in a struggle for control, stabbing each other in the open markets.Having surrendered to his grief,...
,"
Cleopatra, Queen of EgyptCleopatra is a character from the HBO/BBC original television series Rome, played by Lyndsey Marshal. The basis for this character is the famous historical Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII.-Personality:...
comes to Rome after Caesar's death. Antony dismisses her request for public acknowledgement of Caesar's son Caesarion with derision. Caesar's heir (and Atia's son) Octavian begins making demands for his inheritance; Antony rebuffs him. Not to be underestimated, Octavian makes a public announcement that he will pay Caesar's legacy to the common people. He and a furious Antony have a violent fight during which Octavian is nearly killed; the boy leaves Rome to
Marcus AgrippaMarcus Agrippa is a character in the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Allen Leech. He is portrayed as an earnest, loyal and understanding young man who Gaius Octavian values highly despite being so humble...
. Soon he has raised an army to challenge Antony's dominance over Rome.
Antony and Octavian's war escalates; a peace is finally brokered by Atia. Hoping to finally marry Antony, she suggests a public gesture of unity between their families. Atia is shocked and devastated when her son marries Antony to Atia's daughter
Octavia of the JuliiOctavia of the Julii is a fictional character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Irish actress Kerry Condon. The character is based on the Roman matron Octavia Thurina Minor, sister of Roman Emperor Augustus.-Season One:...
instead. But soon Antony and Atia are back in each other's beds, and Octavia resumes her secret affair with Agrippa. Concerned about how his family's behavior reflects on his own honor, Octavian forces Antony to relocate to Egypt in "
A Necessary Fiction"A Necessary Fiction" is the eighth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 11, 2007.-Plot summary:...
," leaving Atia and Octavia in Rome. Arriving at the Egyptian palace, Antony looks at an alluring Cleopatra with new eyes.
Years later in the next episode, "
Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus"Deus Impeditio Esuritori Nullus" is the ninth episode of the second season of the television series Rome. The air date is March 18, 2007...
," Antony and Cleopatra are in love in Egypt raising their own twins, Helios and Selene; she urges him to declare war on Rome to free himself once and for all from Octavian's tyranny. Antony is hesitant, knowing that an attack on Rome would strip him of the people's devotion, the one thing that Octavian does not have. When Antony refuses Octavian's request for increased grain supplies for a starving Rome, Octavian sends his sister Octavia and mother Atia to intervene. Antony insists to a jealous Cleopatra that he no longer loves Atia, but Cleopatra intends to publicly flaunt their love in front of the Roman women or kill them; trying to prevent Atia's humiliation or murder, Antony has his wife and former lover sent away without seeing them. He soon descends into a drunken and
opiumOpium is a narcotic formed from the latex released by lacerating the immature seed pods of opium poppies . It contains up to 12% morphine, an opiate alkaloid, which is most frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade...
-induced self-indulgent stupor.
In the series finale "
De Patre Vostro"De Patre Vostro" is the tenth and final episode of the second season of the television series Rome. It originally aired on March 25, 2007....
," Antony has neglected his legions, and his military might begins to slowly fail. Octavian receives what is purportedly a copy of Antony's last will and testament from Posca; the document states that Antony will leave all of his land and titles to his illegitimate children by Cleopatra. This, as Octavian guesses it will, turns the Roman people against Antony; allowing Octavian to declare him a traitor and go to war against him. Antony loses the
Battle of ActiumThe Battle of Actium was the decisive confrontation of the Final War of the Roman Republic. It was fought between the forces of Octavian and the combined forces of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. The battle took place on 2 September 31 BC, on the Ionian Sea near the Roman colony of Actium in Greece...
to Octavian, who seeks Antony's personal surrender or he will burn the palace to the ground with everyone inside. Cleopatra hopes for some alternate solution, but to Antony the only way out of the situation is suicide. Octavian makes a secret offer to Cleopatra: she can keep her life and her crown in exchange for allowing his men into the palace to take Antony. She is genuinely torn between her love for Antony, her duty as queen and her personal honor. She and Antony agree to die by their own hands, but with the help of her servant and advisor Charmian, Cleopatra later fakes her own suicide, prompting Antony to kill himself with the assistance of Lucius Vorenus. Out of respect, Vorenus dresses Antony's corpse in armor and seats it on the throne of Alexandria, where it is found by Octavian.
Comparison with the historical Mark Antony
Most of what we know about the historical
Mark AntonyMarcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and General. He was an important supporter and the loyal friend of Gaius Julius Caesar as a military commander and administrator, being Caesar's second cousin, once removed, by his mother Julia Antonia...
comes from
PlutarchPlutarch, born Plutarchos then, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. AD 46 – 120, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
's
Parallel LivesPlutarch's Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, commonly called Parallel Lives or Plutarch's Lives, is a series of biographies of famous men, arranged in tandem to illuminate their common moral virtues or failings, written in the late 1st Century...
, and his personality in
RomeRome is an American-British-Italian historical drama television series created by Bruno Heller, John Milius, and William J. MacDonald. The show's first season originally aired on HBO in the United States between August 28 and November 20, 2005, subsequently being broadcast on the United Kingdom's...
appears to be essentially consistent with what Plutarch wrote of him. Antony is portrayed as a soldier's soldier, a lover of women, and unfailingly devoted to
CaesarGaius Julius Caesar is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Irish actor Ciarán Hinds...
.
Rome also depicts him as truly despising politics, and lacking tact or subtlety in political matters, which Caesar uses to his advantage.
The antipathy Antony shows for
CiceroMarcus Tullius Cicero is a historical figure who features as a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by David Bamber. He is depicted as a moderate politician and scholar, who is challenged with trying to save the traditional Republic from the ambitions of the various...
in, for example, the episode
Caesarion is historically attested. The historical Mark Antony held
CiceroMarcus Tullius Cicero was a Roman philosopher, statesman, lawyer, political theorist, and Roman constitutionalist. Cicero is widely considered one of Rome's greatest orators and prose stylists.Cicero is generally perceived to be one of the most versatile minds of ancient Rome...
responsible for the execution of Antony's stepfather, Publius Cornelius Lentulus Sura, as part of the
CatilineLucius Sergius Catilina , known in English as Catiline, was a Roman politician of the 1st century BC who is best known for the Catiline conspiracy, an attempt to overthrow the Roman Republic, and in particular the power of the aristocratic Senate.One of the most enigmatic figures of Roman history,...
conspiracy.
There is no evidence that Mark Antony was romantically involved with Atia Balba Caesonia (basis for
Atia of the Julii__FORCETOC__Atia of the Julii is a fictional character from the HBO/BBC/RAI original television series Rome, played by Polly Walker. The niece of Julius Caesar and mother of Octavian/Augustus and Octavia, she is depicted as a cheerfully amoral and opportunistic manipulator...
) as is depicted in the series. The Mark Antony of
Rome is also notably lacking family; the historical Antony had two younger brothers,
LuciusLucius Antonius was the younger brother and supporter of Mark Antony, a Roman politician.Lucius was son of Marcus Antonius Creticus, son of the rhetorician Marcus Antonius Orator executed by Gaius Marius' supporters in 86 BC, and Julia Antonia, a cousin of Julius Caesar...
and
GaiusGaius Antonius was the second son of Marcus Antonius Creticus and Julia Antonia, and thus, younger brother of Mark Antony, triumvir and enemy of Caesar Augustus.-Early life:...
, both of whom played roles in the events of the time. Additionally, it is not mentioned in the series that Antony was a blood relative of
CaesarGaius Julius Caesar , , was a Roman military and political leader. He played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
's through his mother,
Julia AntoniaJulia Caesaris or Julia Antonia was a daughter to consul Lucius Julius Caesar III and mother to the future triumvir and deputy of Caesar, Mark Antony. She was a sister to consul Lucius Julius Caesar IV. Her mother is unknown. She was born and raised in Rome...
, Caesar's cousin.
Further, the Mark Antony of
Rome is initially unmarried; the historical Mark Antony was married three times prior to his union with
Octavia MinorOctavia Minor , also known as Octavia the Younger or simply Octavia, was the sister of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus , half sister of Octavia Major, and fourth wife of Mark Antony....
(to Fadia, Antonia Hybrida and, most notably,
FulviaFulvia was a Roman woman who lived in the 1st century BC. According to Plutarch, Fulvia had no interest in spinning nor managing a household nor ruling a husband with no ambition for public life; Fulvia wanted to govern or to command and be a commander-in-chief. Fulvia is remembered in the history...
). Antony would have married Fulvia at some point during the events of Season 1. The historical Antony had seven children: two sons,
Marcus Antonius AntyllusMarcus Antonius Antyllus or Marcus Antonius Minor also known as Antonius or Antyllus . Antyllus was the eldest son and child of Roman Triumvir Mark Antony from his third wife Fulvia. His younger full blooded brother was Iullus Antonius...
and
Iullus Antonius CreticusIullus Antonius , also known as Iulus, Julus or Jullus, was the second son of Mark Antony and his third wife Fulvia. He is best known for being the famous lover of Julia the Elder...
, by Fulvia; two daughters,
Antonia MajorAntonia Major , also known as Antonia the Elder, was a daughter to Mark Antony and Octavia Minor and niece to Augustus, Rome’s first Emperor....
and
Antonia MinorAntonia Minor , also known as Antonia the Younger or simply Antonia was a daughter of Roman politician Mark Antony and Octavia Minor, niece of emperor Augustus, and mother of future emperor Claudius.Antonia is one of the most prominent Roman women. She is celebrated for her virtue and beauty...
, by Octavia Minor; and a daughter and two sons,
Cleopatra SeleneCleopatra Selene II , also known as Cleopatra VIII of Egypt or Cleopatra VIII was a Ptolemaic Princess and was the only daughter to Greek Ptolemaic queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman triumvir Mark Antony. She was the fraternal twin of Ptolemaic prince Alexander Helios...
,
Alexander HeliosAlexander Helios was a Ptolemaic prince and was the eldest son of Greek Ptolemaic queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman triumvir Mark Antony. His twin was Cleopatra Selene II. He was of Greek and Roman heritage...
and
Ptolemy PhiladelphusPtolemy Philadelphus was a Ptolemaic prince and was the youngest child of Greek Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman Triumvir Mark Antony. Ptolemy was of Greek and Roman heritage. He was born in Antioch, Syria...
by Cleopatra VII. Only Antonia Major and Cleopatra's twins Selene and Helios are noted in the series.
The historical timeline has also been manipulated. Antony fathered his first two children with Cleopatra before marrying Octavia; when he later left Rome, he settled in
AthensAthens , the capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery; as one of the world's oldest cities, its recorded history spans around 3,400 years....
,
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
with Octavia, and they had their daughters. He ultimately left his wife in Greece and reunited with Cleopatra in
EgyptEgypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Western Asia...
; he and Cleopatra subsequently had their third child. In the series, Antony marries Octavia and is then forced by
OctavianGaius Octavian is a character in the HBO/BBC2 original television series Rome, played by Max Pirkis as a child in season one and the beginning of season two, and in the second season he is played by Simon Woods. He is portrayed as a shrewd, if somewhat cold, young man, with an understanding of the...
to relocate to Egypt; he leaves Octavia in Rome pregnant with Antonia Major (who, it is heavily implied, is in fact the child of Marcus Agrippa). In Egypt, Antony reconnects with Cleopatra; they have met before but never had a romantic relationship. They later have the twins Helios and Selene.
In the series, Antony's position on the Senate is named both "Tribune of the People" and "Tribune of the Plebs." The latter is the usual usage.