Editing Mark Antony (section)

===Governor of Italy===
[[File:CdM, marcantonio raffigurato come alessandro, sardonice, 40 ac. circa.JPG|thumb|A [[Cameo (carving)|cameo carving]] of Mark Antony depicted as [[Alexander the Great]], c. 40 BC|185x185px]]

After the battle, Caesar was made [[Roman dictator|dictator]] in absentia, and appointed Antony as [[Magister equitum|master of horse]] (his lieutenant).{{Sfn|Wilson|2021|p=309}} Caesar without returning to Rome sailed for Egypt, where he took part in the [[Alexandrian war]], deposing [[Ptolemy XIII]] in favour of Cleopatra, who became Caesar's mistress and bore him a son, [[Caesarion]]. Caesar's actions further strengthened Roman control over the already Roman-dominated kingdom.<ref>Jallet-Huant, 2009, pp. 52–53</ref>

While Caesar was away in Egypt, Antony remained in Rome to govern Italy and restore order.<ref name="Hinard, 2000, pg 796 and 798">Hinard, 2000, pp. 796, 798</ref> Without Caesar to guide him, however, Antony quickly faced political difficulties and proved himself unpopular. The chief cause of his political challenges concerned [[debt forgiveness]]. One of the tribunes for 47&nbsp;BC, [[Publius Cornelius Dolabella (consul 44 BC)|Publius Cornelius Dolabella]], proposed a law which would have canceled all outstanding debts. Antony opposed the law for political and personal reasons: he believed Caesar would not support such massive relief and suspected Dolabella had seduced his wife Antonia Hybrida. When Dolabella sought to enact the law by force and seized the [[Roman Forum|Forum]], Antony responded by unleashing his soldiers upon the assembled masses, killing hundreds.<ref>Plutarch: ''Antony'', c. 9, in ''Plutarch, Roman Lives'' {{ISBN|978-0-19-282502-5}}</ref> The resulting instability, especially among Caesar's veterans who would have benefited from the law, forced Caesar to return to Italy by October 47&nbsp;BC.<ref name="Hinard, 2000, pg 796 and 798" />

Antony's handling of the affair with Dolabella led to a cooling of his relationship with Caesar. Antony's violent reaction had caused Rome to fall into a state of [[anarchy]]. Caesar sought to mend relations with Dolabella; he was elected to a third term as consul for 46 BC, but proposed the senate should transfer the consulship to Dolabella. When Antony protested, Caesar was forced to withdraw the motion. Later, Caesar sought to exercise his prerogatives as dictator and directly proclaim Dolabella as consul instead.<ref>Dio 43.51.8.</ref> Antony again protested and, in his capacity as an augur, declared the omens were unfavorable and Caesar again backed down.<ref>Plutarch, ''Antony'', 11.3, less clear from Dio.</ref> Seeing the expediency of removing Dolabella from [[Rome]], Caesar ultimately pardoned him for his role in the riots and took him as one of his generals in his campaign.<ref name="Plutarch, Antony, 10" /> Antony, however, was stripped of all official positions and received no appointments for the year 46 BC or 45 BC. Instead of Antony, Caesar appointed [[Marcus Aemilius Lepidus]] to be his consular colleague for 46 BC; Lepidus also replaced Antony as master of horse for Caesar's various dictatorships.{{Sfn|Wilson|2021|p=309}} While Caesar campaigned in [[Africa (Roman province)|North Africa]], Antony remained in Rome as a mere [[privatus|private citizen]]. After returning victorious from North Africa, Caesar was appointed [[Roman Dictator|dictator]] for ten years and brought Cleopatra and their son to Rome. Antony again remained in Rome while Caesar, in 45 BC, sailed to Spain to defeat the final opposition to his rule; successful, the civil war ended.

Following the scandal with Dolabella, Antony had divorced his second wife and quickly married [[Fulvia]]. Fulvia had previously been married to both [[Publius Clodius Pulcher]] and [[Gaius Scribonius Curio (praetor 49 BC)|Gaius Scribonius Curio]], having been a widow since Curio's death in the [[Battle of the Bagradas (49 BC)|battle of the Bagradas]] in 49&nbsp;BC. Though Antony and Fulvia were formally married in 47 BC, Cicero suggests the two had been in a relationship since at least 58 BC.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0021:speech=2:section=48|title=M. Tullius Cicero, Orations, The fourteen orations against Marcus Antonius (Philippics), THE SECOND SPEECH OF M. T. CICERO AGAINST MARCUS ANTONIUS. CALLED ALSO THE SECOND PHILIPPIC., section 48|website=www.perseus.tufts.edu|access-date=20 May 2023|archive-date=12 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612151942/https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0021:speech=2:section=48|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0021:speech=2:section=99|title=M. Tullius Cicero, Orations, The fourteen orations against Marcus Antonius (Philippics), THE SECOND SPEECH OF M. T. CICERO AGAINST MARCUS ANTONIUS. CALLED ALSO THE SECOND PHILIPPIC., section 99|website=www.perseus.tufts.edu|access-date=20 May 2023|archive-date=12 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612151854/https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.02.0021:speech=2:section=99|url-status=live}}</ref> The union produced two children: [[Marcus Antonius Antyllus]] (born 47) and [[Iullus Antonius]] (born 45).