Chapter I: Cicero's Exile
-Marcus Tullius Cicero
Of the men proscribed by the Second Triumvirate between Octavian, Antonius, and Lepidus, Marcus Tullius Cicero was one of the most viciously and doggedly hunted down. Cicero befriended the young Octavian after Caesar's assassination, even helping him convince the Senate to declare Marcus Antonius an enemy of the state. When Octavian and Antonius put aside their differences however, and formed the Second Triumvirate along with Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, they created a long list of proscriptions, similar to those created only a generation a before by the dictator Lucius Cornelius Sulla. Antonius made sure Cicero was on the top of that list.
At first, Cicero showed signs of his trademark indecision, unsure whether to join the Liberators, Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus in the east, or remain in Italy. Luckily, his respect and sympathy amongst the populace was such that only a small few dared to even admit they had seen the legendary statesman. Finally, with the help of friends, Cicero left in the midst of a large crowd from his villa in Formiae, on December 5th, 43 BC.[1]When he reached the seaside, he embarked on a ship bound for Macedonia, with the intentions of meeting up with Brutus and Longinus.
Things began to go awry soon after the ships departure, as the ship was caught in a storm. It was only due to an experienced ship belonging to the navy of Sextus Pompeius, another enemy of the triumvirate, happening to be there at the same time, that the ship and her crew, including Cicero, were rescued. The crew was shocked to see that the great Marcus Tullius Cicero was also on the ship, to which they thanked Poseidon for sparing the prestigious senator. It was not long before they reached Pompeius's stronghold base of Sicily, from which an envoy was immediately despatched to inform the general of the unexpected arrival of what would become his most important asset in the times ahead.
[1] IOTL, he left on December 7th, and was caught while leaving Formiae.
Why hello there. This is a timeline I've been eager to do for awhile. Cicero surviving is a mini POD that I added in that is going to have a sizeable impact, mainly for the reputations of both Octavian and Sextus Pompeius. I have more written, it's just that I don't have the time to type it up at the moment, and wanted to get this posted so I could get some feedback.
Feedback is not only welcomed but encouraged. Don't be afriad to post criticisms either. I want to keep this as plausible as possible, and while I am familiar with this period, there are still many details I do not know of, and can certainly use your help in pointing it out. Hope you enjoyed the intro.
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