Antony and Cleopatra

by Colleen McCullough Book 7 in the Masters of Rome series.

First published 2007

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4.6(1,280)

The Roman world, 41 BCE. Mark Antony governs the eastern provinces as one of the triumvirs who defeated Caesar’s assassins, but his authority depends on cooperation with the younger and increasingly disciplined Octavian. In Egypt, Cleopatra seeks security for her kingdom and recognition for Caesarion. Her renewed alliance with Antony becomes political, military and personal, while Antony’s marriage to Octavia attempts to preserve a settlement between the rival Roman leaders.

Antony’s eastern campaigns, Cleopatra’s resources and Octavian’s control of Italy gradually divide the Roman world into hostile blocs. Propaganda presents the conflict as a defence of Rome against an eastern queen, although Roman command, succession and civil war remain its core. Defeat at Actium, the fall of Alexandria and the deaths of Antony and Cleopatra leave Octavian without a comparable rival and allow him to construct the Augustan settlement.

Historical Periods

Battle of Actium31 BCE

Genres

Biographical Fiction Court & Political Fiction War Fiction

Historical people

Augustus64 BCE–14 Mark Antony83–30 BCE Cleopatra70 BCE–31 BCE Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa64 BCE–13 BCE Caesarion47–30 BCE Marcus Aemilius Lepidusc. 90–13 BCE