"I shall see thee at Philippi"

WI Octavian had been killed at the First Battle of Phillipi? Would Mark Antony have been able to secure victory on his own and return home to become Emperor? (or maybe it would have been Lucius Antonius?)
 
Anthony isn't going to declare himself emperor. Too much dislike of monarchy in Rome. He may rule as a king (although I would expect perhaps something more in the Sullan style), but declaring himself imperator is another matter.

On the other hand, this means that Lepidus is the only real check on Anthony's power, and I don't see them falling out, at least not yet. One wonders whether they promote somebody to fill out the triumvirate. Anyways, Rome probably gets divided roughly as OTL; Lepidus in the West, Anthony to the east. One can assume that, without being distracted by Octavian and Sextus Pompeius, Anthony has a free hand to prepare for the campaign against Parthia, and thus gives a better showing.
 
Anthony isn't going to declare himself emperor. Too much dislike of monarchy in Rome. He may rule as a king (although I would expect perhaps something more in the Sullan style), but declaring himself imperator is another matter.

You have this exactly backwards. Anthony won't call himself 'king' because of too much dislike of monarchy in Rome. He may call himself "imperator", i.e., "commander," which implied something like general or commander-in-chief.
 
On the other hand, this means that Lepidus is the only real check on Anthony's power, and I don't see them falling out, at least not yet. One wonders whether they promote somebody to fill out the triumvirate. Anyways, Rome probably gets divided roughly as OTL; Lepidus in the West, Anthony to the east. One can assume that, without being distracted by Octavian and Sextus Pompeius, Anthony has a free hand to prepare for the campaign against Parthia, and thus gives a better showing.


Octavian is out of the way but would Sextus and the other Pompeius and/or republican forces. Possibly Anthony might be more willing to come to some terms with at least some of those factors. [Could Sextus, as a link to the Pompeian/Senate faction be the third partner in a new triumvirate. If he has Africa and the islands, Lepidus the west and Anthony the east say?]

Steve
 
You have this exactly backwards. Anthony won't call himself 'king' because of too much dislike of monarchy in Rome. He may call himself "imperator", i.e., "commander," which implied something like general or commander-in-chief.

Bloody semantics. Thanks for correcting me; my intention was to say that Anthony isn't going to attempt to proclaim himself anything resembling a monarch, at least not for a while. Personally, I think that, if Anthony ends up more or less undisputed ruler of rome, his rule would hue closer to that of Sulla (military dictatorship) than Octavian's nominally republican empire.

Octavian is out of the way but would Sextus and the other Pompeius and/or republican forces. Possibly Anthony might be more willing to come to some terms with at least some of those factors. [Could Sextus, as a link to the Pompeian/Senate faction be the third partner in a new triumvirate. If he has Africa and the islands, Lepidus the west and Anthony the east say?]

Steve

A good point. Anthony might indeed be more malleable to an agreement with Sextus, who is still a power in his own right. Anthony's ambitions in the east will still require some sort of settlement with Pompey, one way or the other, and without Octavian a peace deal may be more likely.

I'm trying to come up with some plausible alternatives to Pompey as the third Triumvir. I'm a bit rusty, so I'm probably missing some people, but here it goes. my thinking is that the pick will either be a peace offering to the republicans, or a man of Anthony's (or, i suppose, possibly one of Octavian's men, in his memory). If we go with the former, there is Ahenobarbus, who would serve a similar role to that of Pompey. Scribonius, perhaps, to make peace with Sextus Pompey. Messalla Corvinus also comes to mind. If Anthony names one of his own, Norbanus, Bassus, Taurus, Censorinus, Pollio, or Plancus seem possibilities. Calvinus might be a useful memory of Octavian.

I suppose it is also possible that Lepidus and Antonius disband the triumvirate in order to assume consulship. It would mean ceding power back to the Senate, but might be a good token of good faith with the republicans and the people. Also avoids splitting their power with a third man.
 
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