Propaganda In Julius Caesar Research Paper

After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C., three men, M. Aemilius Lepidus, Mark Antony, and Octavian vied for the support of the Caesarians and the Roman people. After establishing themselves as a Triumvirate, eliminating their opposition by proscription and at the battle of Philippi, their alliance dissipated. Lepidus’ troops deserted to Octavian’s side, leaving the triumvirs Octavian and Antony at odds. Octavian began a propaganda campaign against Antony that ultimately led to his defeat at the Battle of Actium. Octavian’s use of propaganda strived to show Antony as a traitorous foreigner and portray himself as an embodiment of Rome and Roman ideals. Among other things, Octavian disclosed the contents of Antony’s will, issued coinage, and …show more content…
He writes, “He was hated, too, for the distribution which he made to his children in Alexandria; it was seen to be theatrical and arrogant, and to evince hatred of Rome.” (262) Octavian had also obtained Antony’s will, in which he declares his sons by Cleopatra his heirs and reveals his wishes to be “sent away to Cleopatra in Egypt… even if he should die in Rome”. (271) Furthermore, his will called for the Empire’s capital from Rome to Alexandria. (Nagle 224) As a reinforcement of the idea that Antony should be considered a “foreign enemy”, Octavian issued coinage with the legend: “champion of the freedom of the Roman people”. (Nagle 17) In thoroughly branding Antony with a foreign label, as well as only declaring war on Cleopatra in 31 B.C., Octavian was not inciting another civil war or more civil unrest, but fortified the idea that this was a war being waged against a foreign enemy. (Nagle