Hello, and welcome to the history of Rome, Episode 50, the donations of Alexandria.

Last week, we focused mainly on Octavians' trials in the West, so this week I want to

begin by tracing Antony's activities in the East before moving on to the final falling

out between the two triumphs for colleagues, because after failing miserably to conquer

Parthia, Antony's status in Rome will plummet, leaving him vulnerable to political broadsides

by Octavian, who will launch an all-out propaganda blitz against him.

Neither being shrinking violets when it came to the game of power politics, the war of

words escalated quickly into simply war.

As I said last week, 41 BC had opened with bad news for the triumvirate, while Octavian

dealt with a revolt cooked up by Fulvian Lucius Antony.

Parthian Antony was faced with a preemptive strike by the Parthian Empire against Syria.

For the next three years, Antony's legions would be forced to engage in a running war

with the charismatic, popular, and brilliant Parthian prince Pacur.

Before the Romans were able to react, the Parthians had overrun Syria and Judea and

placed puppets on the throne of both kingdoms.

Constantly distracted by internal Roman politics and the preparations for his larger offensive,

he left the prosecution of these initial Parthian campaigns to lieutenants, specifically

a capable general named Ventidius.

In 38 BC, Ventidius was able to corner and kill Pacur and battle outside of Antioch,

but he was curiously unwilling to follow up his victory and take an important Parthian

stronghold on the Euphrates River.

Word began to trickle back to Antony that Ventidius was accepting bribes to hold back

...