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A battle-hardened soldier, Antony is one of the three leaders of the Roman world. But he is also a man in the grip of an all-consuming passion for the exotic and tempestuous queen of Egypt. And when their life of pleasure together is threatened by the encroaching politics of Rome, the conflict between love and duty has devastating consequences.
"The story of one of history's most decisive and yet little known battles, the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, which brought together Antony and Cleopatra on one side and Octavian, soon to be emperor Augustus, on the other, and whose outcome determined the future of the Roman Empire"--
The epic story of one of the most famous love affairs in history, by the bestselling author of Caesar. ***** The monumental love affair between Antony and Cleopatra has been depicted in countless novels, plays and films. As one of the three men in control of the Roman Empire, Antony was perhaps the most powerful man of his day. And Cleopatra, who had already been Julius Caesar's lover, was the beautiful queen of Egypt, Rome's most important province. The clash of cultures, the power politics, and the personal passion have proven irresistible to storytellers. But in the course of this storytelling dozens of myths have grown up. The popular image of Cleopatra in ancient Egyptian costume is a fallacy; she was actually Greek. Despite her local dominance in Egypt, her real power came from her ability to forge strong personal allegiances with the most important men in Rome. Likewise, Mark Antony was not the bluff soldier of legend, brought low by his love for an exotic woman - he was first and foremost a politician, and never allowed Cleopatra to dictate policy to him. In this history, based exclusively on ancient sources and archaeological evidence, Adrian Goldsworthy gives us the facts behind this famous couple and dispels many myths. 'Excellent' Tom Holland 'Refreshingly frank' Mary Beard
William Shakespeare's great Roman tragedy of adultery amid political conflict is now available in a richly documented and illustrated Norton Critical Edition.
The tragic love affair of Marc Antony and Cleopatra is a staple of popular ancient history, immortalised by Shakespeare and Hollywood and mercilessly parodied in Carry on Cleo.
Osprey's examination of the Battle of Actium, which was the decisive confrontation of the Final War of the Roman Republic (32-30 BC). In 32 BC, the Roman Republic declared war on Egypt and set in motion a chain of events that would tear the Republic apart. In Rome, the forces of the western republic were marshaled together under Octavian (the future Emperor Augustus) and Marcus Agrippa. In the east, armies were gathered under the leadership of the famous lovers, Marc Antony and Cleopatra. On September 2, 31 BC, the forces of Octavian and Marcus Agrippa managed to trap their enemies in the Gulf of Actium. Although Anthony and Cleopatra managed to escape, their army and navy, along with their hopes for victory were crushed. A few months later, the lovers would commit suicide. Their death saw the end of the war and the end of the Roman Republic. Now wielding supreme power, Octavian declared himself Emperor. Actium has remained one of the most famous battles of the Ancient World thanks to its colorful cast of characters that have been reinvented by the writings of Shakespeare and the stars of the silver screen. This new book tells the true story of the decisive and bloody battle that would once and for all seal the fate of the Roman Republic.
