The great Roman General Marcus Antonius (more commonly known as Marc Antony), is notorious for his disreputable relationship with the Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra. What he is lesser known for however, is his major role in transforming the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. First recognised for his associations with Julius Caesar, Marc Antony then became a member of the Second Triumvirate along with Octavian and Lepidus. The Second Triumvirate allowed for major progression in the republic, however a civil war occurred between Antony and Octavian, which lay the final straw in allowing the Roman Republic to transform into the Roman Empire. The statement, “The Roman people came to detest the rule of the triumvirs, but it was Antony who earned…show more content… The original purpose of the Triumvirate was to reform the reputation of the deceased dictator and to seek revenge after those who murdered him. The Triumvirate was composed of Marc Antony, Caesar’s adopted son and heir Octavian, and Caesar’s close friend and ally, Lepidus. The three men all made an example of assassinating their enemies, with these actions holding a purpose of sending their opposition a strong message. The most notable man assassinated was the historian Cicero, who made a point of speaking negatively about Antony in public, and as a result, payed the ultimate price. In addition, their manner of murdering their enemies ensured they were respected and feared by the public, which further secured their place in the Republic and lessened the chances of a revolt. The Triumvirate was formed with Marc Antony setting all opinions of the other men aside, at least for a minimal period of time. And while Antony set to reform the reputation of Caesar, He set the task to appoint himself - and the others - high positions within the government and reward himself with large amounts of control and power within the Republic. The alliance between Antony and the other two triumvirs differed from the first group, as legal and official duties to the republic increased and was less secretive than the previous. The power Antony felt became addictive to him, transferring from Caesar to himself. Plutarch has…show more content… Antony and Octavian had a rocky relationship, but were forced to bear each other’s presences being members of the powerful Second Triumvirate. The rivalry between Octavian and Antony began as a result of claiming wealth. In his will, Caesar had left Octavian his fortune, and adopted him as his son and sole heir, leaving Antony with nothing. In his anger, Antony publicly declared that he believed Octavian was too young and irresponsible to hold such wealth and power in the Republic. Antony worked hard to gain Octavian’s trust, even marrying his sister Octavia, and issuing celebratory coins to celebrate the union between himself and Octavian (see appendix 1). This union did not last long, and intense hatred between Octavian and Antony begun to span from Antony’s love and desire for the Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra. He was captivated by her beauty, divorcing Octavian’s sister, Octavia in order to marry the Egyptian Pharaoh. In addition, Antony declared Caesarion - Cleopatra and Caesars son – the rightful heir of the late general. This only further added to the turmoil between the two powerful men. Marc Antony was so focused on his love, Cleopatra, he lost sight of the wishes and goals of the growing Republic, even defying Roman law that prevented him from marrying a foreigner and therefore practically claiming