WI Caesar doesnt name Octavian his heir...

In 61 BC Julius Caesar was serving as Governor in Hispania Ulterior... He saw an omen in the sky according to Suetonius and decide to name Octavian his heir after his experience...
WI Caesar doesnt see this omen or misinterpretes it? Octavian is not named Caesar's heir so road is open for Mark Antony or a potential son of Julius Caesar... Any thoughts?
 
Antony was a mediocre administrator at best, so if he succeeds Caesar then you may have a dismantling of the 'big man' head of state and a return to Senatorial rule. However, the conflicts between the Optimates and Populares wouldn't be resolved, and the underlying tensions that led to the Triumvirate and Civil War would still exist.

Either beuracratic inertia due to squabbling leads to a disintegration of the empire's new gains (Gaul, reconquered Asia Minor) or someone else steps up to provide the 'needed authority for reforms' and another civil war resumes.
 
Civil wars continue and Senate has the upper hand i guess... Unless Octavian reveals hidden administrative and military skills...
 
Civil wars continue and Senate has the upper hand i guess... Unless Octavian reveals hidden administrative and military skills...

But without Caesar naming him heir, Octavian would have no authroity to claim leadership... or rather no more than others and less than many.
 
How about Brutus? He was Caesar's adopted son... If he is not implicated to the assassination attempt he could inherit Caesar's legacy...
 
What about the possibility of Rome erupting into or being torn apart by some kind of civil war after Julius Caesar's assassination? You have Octavian even though in TTL Caesar didn't name him as his heir and successor. You also have Mark Anthony. You have both men's followers and supporters. There may also be others lurking in the background waiting for the opportunity to take over and take power. What about the possibility of civil war in Rome at this point?
 
What about a Germaniac invasion ? How plausible will it be , if Rome was embroiled in civil wars on and off for the next five decades consequentially ? Is there a possibility for another sacking of Rome , and the fragmentation of Roman territories? Would Arminius be butterflied away as a result of a lack of empire ? Would the Germans sucessfully unite temporarily to ravage large parts of the Roman Republic , cooperating with one or so factions in some civil war?
 
What about the possibility of Rome erupting into or being torn apart by some kind of civil war after Julius Caesar's assassination? You have Octavian even though in TTL Caesar didn't name him as his heir and successor. You also have Mark Anthony. You have both men's followers and supporters. There may also be others lurking in the background waiting for the opportunity to take over and take power. What about the possibility of civil war in Rome at this point?
That's rather what did happen - Antony and Octavian slugged it out. Antony lost, ran away to Eqypt and tried again with Cleopatra's help...

What about a Germaniac invasion ? How plausible will it be , if Rome was embroiled in civil wars on and off for the next five decades consequentially ? Is there a possibility for another sacking of Rome , and the fragmentation of Roman territories? Would Arminius be butterflied away as a result of a lack of empire ? Would the Germans sucessfully unite temporarily to ravage large parts of the Roman Republic , cooperating with one or so factions in some civil war?
5 decades of civil war and there would be no Roman Empire or Rpublic anymore. After that much fighting amongst each other, there wouldn't be enough Roman fighting men to be an effective force. As it was the Pompey-Julius civil war killed approximately a million citizens.
 
Top