Mark Antony

Marcus Antonius (c. 83 BC - 30 BC), known in English as Mark Antony or "Marc" and/or "Anthony", was a Roman politician and general. He was an important supporter of Julius Caesar as a military commander and adminstrator. He served as Caesar's colleague as consul in 44 BC.

His relationship with Cleopatra, the Queen of Egypt, was legendary and the subject of a play by Shakespeare titled Antony and Cleopatra.

Along with Lepidus and Octavian (later Augustus), he formed the Second Triumvirate. To seal the alliance Antony married Octavian's sister, Octavia (see Julio-Claudian Family Tree). After the triumvirate came to an end, he was decisively defeated by Octavian in the naval battle of Actium.

He committed suicide prior to Octavian's entry into Alexandria in 30 BC.

Mark Antony and Octavia had two daughters, both named "Antonia." The older one, Antonia Major, married Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus ("red beard" in Latin), and the emperor Nero ("black") was their grandson. The younger one, Antonia Minor, married Drusus, and the emperor Claudius was their son.

Mark Antony and Cleopatra had three children: twins Alexander Helios and Cleopatra Selene, born in 40 B.C., and Ptolemy Philadelphus, born in 36 B.C. The older boy was killed by the Romans when his parents died in 30 B.C. The other two children were taken back to Rome and reared by Antony's wife Octavia. The boy died in 12 B.C., but the girl married Juba II of Numidia and became queen of Numidia and Mauretania.