Editing Mark Antony (section)

====First conflict with Octavian====
Octavian arrived in Rome in May to claim his inheritance. Although Antony had amassed political support, Octavian still had opportunity to rival him as the leading member of the Caesarian faction. The senate increasingly viewed Antony as a new tyrant; Antony had also lost the support of many supporters of Caesar when he opposed the motion to elevate Caesar to divine status.<ref>Eck, 2003, p. 11.</ref> When Antony refused to relinquish Caesar's vast fortune to him, Octavian borrowed heavily to fulfill the bequests in Caesar's will to the Roman people and to his veterans, as well as to establish his own bodyguard of veterans.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Boatwright |first=Mary |title=The Romans From Village to Empire |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2012 |isbn=978-0199730575 |location=New York |pages=272–273}}</ref> This earned him the support of Caesarian sympathizers who hoped to use him as a means of eliminating Antony.<ref>Syme, 1939, pp. 114–120.</ref> The senate, and Cicero in particular, viewed Antony as the greater danger of the two. By summer 44&nbsp;BC, Antony was in a difficult political position: he could either denounce the ''liberatores'' as murderers and alienate the senate or he could maintain his support for the compromise and risk betraying Caesar's legacy, strengthening Octavian's position. In either case, his situation as ruler of Rome would be weakened. Roman historian [[Cassius Dio]] later recorded that while Antony, as consul, maintained the advantage in the relationship, the general affection of the Roman people was shifting to Octavian due to his status as Caesar's son.<ref>Dio Cassius, ''Roman History'', XLV, 11</ref><ref>Bleicken, 1998, p. 58</ref>

[[File:MarcusAntoniusCVibiusVarus.jpg|thumb|A [[denarius]] of Marcus Antonius struck in 42 BC|311x311px]]
Supporting the senatorial faction against Antony, Octavian, in September 44 BC, encouraged the eminent senator [[Marcus Tullius Cicero]] to attack Antony in a [[Philippicae|series of speeches]] portraying him as a threat to the republic.<ref>Chisholm, 1981, p. 26.</ref><ref>Rowell, 1962, p. 30</ref> Risk of civil war between Antony and Octavian grew. Octavian continued to recruit Caesar's veterans to his side, away from Antony, with two of Antony's legions defecting in November 44 BC. At that time, Octavian, only a [[privatus|private citizen]], lacked legal authority to command the Republic's armies, making his command illegal. With popular opinion in Rome turning against him and his consular term nearing its end, Antony attempted to secure a favorable military assignment to secure an army to protect himself. The senate, as was custom, assigned Antony and Dolabella the provinces of [[Roman Macedonia|Macedonia]] and [[Roman Syria|Syria]], respectively, to govern in 43 BC after their consular terms expired. Antony, however, objected to the assignment, preferring to govern [[Cisalpine Gaul]] which was already controlled by [[Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus]], one of Caesar's assassins.<ref>Eck 2003, pp. 11–12.</ref><ref>Rowell, 1962, p. 21</ref> When Decimus refused to surrender his province, Antony marched north in December 44&nbsp;BC with his remaining soldiers to take the province by force, besieging Decimus at [[Mutina]].<ref>Rowell, 1962, p. 24</ref> The senate, led by a fiery Cicero, denounced Antony's actions and declared him an [[enemy of the state]].

Ratifying Octavian's extraordinary command on 1 January 43 BC, the senate dispatched him along with consuls [[Hirtius]] and [[Gaius Vibius Pansa Caetronianus|Pansa]] to [[War of Mutina|defeat Antony]] and his exhausted five legions.<ref>Eck, 2003, p. 12</ref><ref>Syme, 1939, p. 167</ref> Antony's forces were defeated at the [[Battle of Mutina]] in April 43 BC, forcing Antony to retreat to [[Transalpine Gaul]]. Both consuls were killed, however, leaving Octavian in sole command of their armies, some eight legions.<ref>Syme, 1939, pp. 173–174</ref><ref>Scullard, 1982, p. 157.</ref>