Editing Mark Antony (section)

==Early career and occupation==

In 57 BC, Antony joined the military staff of [[Aulus Gabinius]], the [[Proconsul]] of [[Roman Syria|Syria]], as commander of the cavalry.<ref>Weigall, 1931, p. 102</ref> This appointment marks the beginning of his military career.<ref>Jallet-Huant, 2009, p. 25</ref> As consul the previous year, Gabinius had consented to the exile of Cicero by Antony's mentor, [[Publius Clodius Pulcher]].

[[Hyrcanus II]], the Roman-supported [[Hasmonean]] [[High Priest (Judaism)|High Priest]] of [[Judea]], fled [[Jerusalem]] to Gabinius to seek protection against his rival and son-in-law [[Alexander of Judaea|Alexander]]. Years earlier in 63 BC, the Roman general [[Pompey]] had captured him and his father, King [[Aristobulus II]], during his war against the declining [[Seleucid Empire]]. Pompey had deposed Aristobulus and installed Hyrcanus as Rome's [[client ruler]] over Judea.<ref>Rocca</ref> Antony achieved his first military distinctions after securing important victories at [[Alexandrium]] and [[Machaerus]].<ref name="Plutarch, Antony, 3">Plutarch, ''Antony'', 3</ref> With the rebellion defeated by 56 BC, Gabinius restored Hyrcanus to his position as High Priest in Judea.
[[File:Marble bust of Mark Antony (Vatican Museums).jpg|thumb|248x248px|[[Flavian dynasty|Flavian]]-era bust traditionally identified as Mark Antony, [[Vatican Museums]].{{#tag:ref|The identification of the bust lies entirely on the fact that it was allegedly found alongside a bust of Octavian and a [[:File:Marcus Aemilius Lepidus (Musei Vaticani) replica in Pushkin museum 01 by shakko.jpg|third figure]] that was accordingly identified as [[Lepidus]]. However, all three portrait date from different periods, and the bust of Octavian was eventually shown to depict Julius Caesar.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gerhard |first=Eduard |url=http://archive.org/details/archaologischez21deut |title=Archäologische Zeitung |date=1863 |publisher=Verlag Georg Reimer |pages=156 |language=de}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Amelung |first=Walther |url=https://archive.org/details/diesculpturende00amelgoog/page/112 |title=Die Sculpturen des Vaticanischen Museums |date=1903 |publisher=Berlin, Kommission bei G. Reimer |others=Harvard University |pages=112–113 |language=de}}</ref>|group="note"}}]]
The following year, in 55 BC, Gabinius intervened in the political affairs of [[Ptolemaic Egypt]]. [[Pharaoh]] [[Ptolemy XII Auletes]] had been deposed in a rebellion led by his daughter [[Berenice IV]] in 58 BC, forcing him to seek asylum in Rome. During Pompey's conquests years earlier, Ptolemy had received the support of Pompey, who named him an ally of Rome.<ref>Siani-Davis, 1997, p. 316</ref> Gabinius' invasion sought to restore Ptolemy to his throne. This was done against the orders of the senate but with the approval of Pompey, then Rome's leading politician, and only after the deposed king provided a 10,000 [[Talent (measurement)|talent]] bribe. The Greek historian [[Plutarch]] records it was Antony who convinced Gabinius to finally act.<ref name="Plutarch, Antony, 3" /> After defeating the frontier forces of the Egyptian kingdom, Gabinius' army proceeded to attack the palace guards but they surrendered before a battle commenced.<ref>Bradford, 2000, p. 43</ref> With Ptolemy XII restored as Rome's client king, Gabinius garrisoned two thousand Roman soldiers, later known as the ''[[Gabiniani]]'', in Alexandria to ensure Ptolemy's authority. In return for its support, Rome exercised considerable power over the kingdom's affairs, particularly control of the kingdom's revenues and crop yields.<ref>Siani-Davis, 1997, 388</ref> Antony claimed years later to have first met [[Cleopatra]], the then 14-year-old daughter of Ptolemy XII, during this Egyptian campaign.<ref>Roller, 2010, pp. 24–25.</ref>

While Antony was serving Gabinius in the East, the domestic political situation had changed in Rome. In 60 BC, a [[First Triumvirate|secret agreement]] (known as the "First Triumvirate") was entered into between three men to control the Republic: [[Marcus Licinius Crassus]], [[Gnaeus Pompey Magnus]], and [[Gaius Julius Caesar]]. Crassus, Rome's wealthiest man, had defeated the [[Third Servile War|slave rebellion of Spartacus]] in 70 BC; Pompey [[Third Mithridatic War|conquered much of the Eastern Mediterranean]] in the 60's BC; Caesar was Rome's [[pontifex maximus]] and a former general in [[Roman Spain|Spain]]. Caesar, with funding from Crassus, was elected consul for 59&nbsp;BC to pursue legislation favourable to the allies' interests. Caesar, for his part, was [[Lex Vatinia|made proconsular governor]] [[Illyricum (Roman province)|Illyricum]], [[Cisalpine Gaul]], and [[Transalpine Gaul]] for five years. Caesar used his governorship as a launching point for his [[Gallic Wars|conquest of free Gaul]]. Some years later, in the midst of a breakdown in the alliance, the allies again pursued their interests together: in 55 BC, Crassus and Pompey were elected consuls in disputed elections and Caesar's command was extended for another five years.<ref>Jallet-Huant, 2009, pp. 27–31</ref><ref>Martin, 2003, pp. 174–177</ref>

During his early military service, Antony married his cousin [[Antonia Hybrida Minor]], the daughter of [[Gaius Antonius Hybrida]]. Sometime between 54 and 47 BC, the union produced a single known child, [[Antonia (wife of Pythodoros)|Antonia]]. It is unclear if this was Antony's first marriage.{{#tag:ref|Cicero is the only ancient source to mention a first marriage to an otherwise unknown Fadia (''Philippics'', XIII, 10)|group="note"}}