logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2024
45m 31s

The Fall of Mark Antony: From Caesar to ...

History Hit
About this episode

After the death of his patron Julius Caesar, the Roman world was Mark Antony’s for the taking. His triumph over Caesar’s assassins at Phillipi in 42 BC only served to cement his legendary status as Rome’s most feared commander. But then came Octavian and Cleopatra…


In this episode of The Ancients - the second, and final part of our special series on the life of Mark Antony - Tristan is once again joined by Professor Jeff Tatum to discuss how Antony filled the power vacuum left by Caesar’s assassination. They then retell and assess his fight for power with Rome’s latest young upstart, Octavian and the fateful events that led to his demise at the court of Cleopatra.


This episode was produced by Joseph Knight and edited by Peter Dennis. 


Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code ANCIENTS - sign up here.


You can take part in our listener survey here

Up next
Today
Doggerland: The North Sea Atlantis?
Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Rachel Bynoe who has literally dived into the enigmatic world of Doggerland, a prehistoric landmass now submerged beneath the North Sea.They discuss how archaeological research is conducted underwater, the challenges and discoveries associated with ... Show More
47m 36s
Jul 6
Hannibal's March on Rome
It was perhaps Hannibal’s greatest gamble — after years of victories, not least his famed trek across the snow-capped Alps, could he strike at Rome itself?In this episode of The Ancients, Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. Louis Rawlings to explore the dramatic years after Hannibal’ ... Show More
55m 55s
Jul 3
Plato's Republic
Today we journey into the creation of Plato's Republic. Tristan Hughes is joined by Dr. James Romm to discover how Plato's encounters with the tyrant-ruled city of Syracuse and its rulers, Dionysius the Elder and Dionysius the Younger, deeply influenced his philosophical masterpi ... Show More
55m 27s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2019
Cleopatra x Marc Antony: Lovers in a Dangerous Time (Part 1)
Shakespeare wrote about them. Hollywood glamorized them. For thousands of years, they've come down to us as the ultimate star-crossed lovers: the Ptolemaic queen Cleopatra, and the Roman commander Marc Antony. In the wake of Caesar's death, Cleopatra fled to Egypt--and began pick ... Show More
1h 12m
Mar 2024
134. Cleopatra: The Would-Be Empress of Rome
With Julius Caesar dead, Cleopatra turned to another of Rome’s dominant figures. She became entwined with Mark Antony, the ruler of the eastern half of the Roman Empire, but even with their enormous combined power the destructive tendrils of Roman politics were inescapable. Just ... Show More
41m 53s
Jun 2023
Caesar: Death of a Dictator Trailer
On the Ides of March, 44 BC, the most famous Roman in history was murdered. Julius Caesar’s killers hoped to save the Republic, but in the end they destroyed it. In the six episodes of Caesar: Death of a Dictator, Rob Attar is joined by a group of expert historians to revisit the ... Show More
3m 53s
Jul 2022
Actium Baby (With Barry Strauss)
This week, we’re taking a bit of a detour into a previous, much-loved topic: Marc Antony, Cleopatra, and How it All Went Wrong. In this episode, we return to the beach at Actium with author, historian, and academic Barry Strauss as our tour guide. His new book, The War That Made ... Show More
1h 5m
Apr 2022
EP 20 A Republic Lost at Sea
Professor Barry Strauss and Dan talk about Cleopatra, Mark Antony, Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar and a host of historical luminaries in a tale worthy of Shakespeare as the Roman Republic goes down with the ships at Actium. Show Notes: 1. “The War That Made the Roman Empire: Anto ... Show More
1h 8m
Mar 2024
Cleopatra ❤️ Caesar
Julius Caesar intervened to put his lover and ally Cleopatra on the Egyptian throne on 27th March, 47 BC - cementing their position as the world’s premier Power Couple. But Cleo's ascent to power was not just a power play. Rather, it was a desperate bid for survival - as she had ... Show More
12m 47s
Mar 2020
The Real Assassination of Caesar
The Ides of March, 44 BC. Ancient Rome’s most powerful dictator, Julius Caesar, is running late to a senate meeting. When he arrives, senators surround him and stab him 23 times. The assassination of Caesar has been told and re-told for centuries, but the facts are wilder than th ... Show More
19m 47s
Jun 2022
197. Antony & Cleopatra (Part 3)
After centuries of Cleopatra and Mark Antony’s relationship being told and fictionalised by Plutarch and Shakespeare alike, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook uncover what history tells us about this power couple. They reveal how the rise of Octavian as a threat caused Mark Antony ... Show More
42m 16s
Jun 2020
E203: Cleopatra Pt. 2
In 31 BCE, Cleopatra and Mark Antony’s torrid union is tested when Roman leader Octavian declares war against Cleopatra. As Roman troops storm the shores of Egypt, Cleopatra fights against forces that will ultimately lead to her mysterious death. Learn more about your ad choices. ... Show More
56m 41s
May 2022
Julius Caesar Part 3: Murder in the Senate
Caesar departs Egypt with his lover, Cleopatra, secure on the throne. After crushing Pompey’s allies, he returns to Rome. His rule proves popular with the masses. But senators grow concerned by his increasing megalomania. With the Ides of March approaching, conspirators hatch an ... Show More
52m 5s