Changes

Upon his adoption, Octavian adopted his full name, Caius Iulius Caesar Octavianus, taking his adoptive father’s name and using his own as an adjectival ending, in the Roman tradition.  The new “Caesar,” as he quickly came to call himself, immediately pushed for Caesar’s will to be enforced, and his money to be distributed to the citizens.  He also called for his “father,” Julius Caesar, to be deified by the Senate.  As Caesar had become posthumously more popular with the plebian class after learning that they were the beneficiaries of Caesar’s will, the citizens of Rome clamored until the Senate acceded to the demands, deifying Julius Caesar, and building his Temple on the burnt remains of the [[Senate House]].  Octavian also succeeded in having Caesar’s assassins, ([[Brutus]] and [[Cassius]]), declared enemies of the state, and also forced the Senate into condemning Caesar’s assassination officially.  Brutus and Cassius immediately fled the city.

Upon his adoption, Octavian adopted his full name, Caius Iulius Caesar Octavianus, taking his adoptive father’s name and using his own as an adjectival ending, in the Roman tradition.  The new “Caesar,” as he quickly came to call himself, immediately pushed for Caesar’s will to be enforced, and his money to be distributed to the citizens.  He also called for his “father,” Julius Caesar, to be deified by the Senate.  As Caesar had become posthumously more popular with the plebian class after learning that they were the beneficiaries of Caesar’s will, the citizens of Rome clamored until the Senate acceded to the demands, deifying Julius Caesar, and building his Temple on the burnt remains of the [[Senate House]].  Octavian also succeeded in having Caesar’s assassins, ([[Brutus]] and [[Cassius]]), declared enemies of the state, and also forced the Senate into condemning Caesar’s assassination officially.  Brutus and Cassius immediately fled the city.

All was not well, though – [[Mark Antony]] was also attempting to portray himself as the rightful heir of Caesar’s legacy, against Octavian’s own claims.  A sticking point was the enforcement of Caesar’s will: Antony felt the money was his by right, but Octavian sought to disburse it to the citizens, as Caesar had requested.  The two immediately fled the city, raised armies, and fought a small battle, which Octavian’s forces quickly won, led to victory by [[Agrippa]].

All was not well, though – [[Marc Antony]] was also attempting to portray himself as the rightful heir of Caesar’s legacy, against Octavian’s own claims.  A sticking point was the enforcement of Caesar’s will: Antony felt the money was his by right, but Octavian sought to disburse it to the citizens, as Caesar had requested.  The two immediately fled the city, raised armies, and fought a small battle, which Octavian’s forces quickly won, led to victory by [[Agrippa]].

In the meantime, Brutus and Cassius, who had fled to the East to raise an army, were returning to Rome to crush Octavian, who had now become the popular favorite to be Caesar’s heir.  As a result of the threat posed by Brutus and Cassius to both Antony and Octavian’s designs, the two set aside their differences, and formed a secret alliance to defeat Brutus and Cassius.  They sought the financial backing of [[Marcus Lepidus]], and formed the [[Second Triumvirate]] to the ends of crushing Brutus and Cassius, and restoring order to Rome.  To prevent their secret alliance from becoming public knowledge, and to raise funds, the three triumvirs ordered many prominent citizens killed, and their property confiscated.  Marcus Tullius [[Cicero]] was one such target.  The Triumvirate also disbursed Caesar’s will to the plebians, as Caesar had requested, creating instant popular favor towards Octavian and Antony.

In the meantime, Brutus and Cassius, who had fled to the East to raise an army, were returning to Rome to crush Octavian, who had now become the popular favorite to be Caesar’s heir.  As a result of the threat posed by Brutus and Cassius to both Antony and Octavian’s designs, the two set aside their differences, and formed a secret alliance to defeat Brutus and Cassius.  They sought the financial backing of [[Marcus Lepidus]], and formed the [[Second Triumvirate]] to the ends of crushing Brutus and Cassius, and restoring order to Rome.  To prevent their secret alliance from becoming public knowledge, and to raise funds, the three triumvirs ordered many prominent citizens killed, and their property confiscated.  Marcus Tullius [[Cicero]] was one such target.  The Triumvirate also disbursed Caesar’s will to the plebians, as Caesar had requested, creating instant popular favor towards Octavian and Antony.