Agrippa’s role over the next three years is imprecise. He lives in the shadow of Octavius and the unfolding story of his rise to power, closely tracking the movements of his friend, and contributing to major decisions as an advisor and confidant.
In late March 44 BCE, Octavius (plate 5) did not yet know how he stood to benefit from the will and testament of Iulius Caesar, or indeed if he did at all.1 He was not first in line of inheritance, but actually third after the dictator’s other great nephews, L. Pinarius and Q. Pedius. Pinarius had done nothing to distinguish himself, whereas Pedius had served with Caesar in the Gallic War as a legatus legionis with distinction.2 He had also been at Pharsalus (48 BCE) and Thapsus (46 BCE), and pursued Pompeius Magnus’ sons to Hispania Citerior, but was unable to engage them decisively.3 Significantly, however, during his triumph, it was Octavius alone of his extended family who Caesar had permitted to ride in his chariot (currus) and bestowed on him military decorations normally given to men who had actually seen action in the campaign.4 He had been on intimate terms with the dictator, accompanying him to banquets and theatre productions. As a surviving relative Octavius felt compelled to return to Rome to pay his respects and receive what portion of the estate his great uncle had bequeathed him, no matter how small. With the dictator’s death, the planned expedition to Parthia was cancelled indefinitely, and there was now no reason for him and friends, Agrippa and Salvidienus, to remain in Apollonia. Information about the situation in Rome was now reaching him from different sources.5 Octavius was uncertain what to do. The officers of the legion in Macedonia under M. Acilius and men of the cavalry units they had trained with offered their support and suggested he relocate to their camp for his personal safety.6 He turned to those around him for advice. Nikolaos reports that some of his friends – which might mean Agrippa and Salvidienus – urged him to accept the army’s offer and join them and then take them to Italy where they could avenge Caesar’s murder in force.7 However, their friend was torn between that advice and the recommendation of his mother to make a low key return to Rome as a private citizen.8
Octavius finally made up his mind. Overruling his friends and the military advisors, he took the lower profile option. Agrippa packed up his belongings and prepared to depart Apollonia with him; the rhetor asked to be allowed to return to his home in Pergamum.9 For the rest their destination was the Italian port of Brundisium, but uncertain of what awaited them, Octavius prudently sent ahead of him scouts to assess the situation and report back.10 News spread quickly around the Adriatic port city that Octavius was leaving. Crowds turned out in large numbers, some to wish him a safe voyage, others urging him to stay among them where everyone could be considered as his friend.11 The young man was very taken by the affection of the Balkan people. He never forgot their warm support and when his political power enabled him to do so, ‘he conferred on them autonomy and immunity and some other not inconsiderable favors, and made it one of the most fortunate cities’.12 But the mind of Caesar’s heir was made up. The trio of Octavius, Agrippa and Salvidienus could delay no longer. They boarded a ship and set sail for Italy (map 2).
Ever cautious, the young men landed, not in Brundisium, but somewhere along the coast of Puglia and went first to the nearby town of Lupiae (Lecce).13 Now back on Italian soil Octavius began to receive new correspondence. Some family members – his mother Atia and stepfather Philippus among them – urged him to renounce his inheritance as it put him in terrible personal peril.14 They had underestimated their young relative. ‘He thought that to do so, and not to avenge Caesar,’ writes Appian, ‘would be disgraceful’.15 In the meantime, the 18-year-old was appalled to learn that, while Antonius had had a large military force available to pursue the assassins, instead he had ‘for the present given up his plan to avenge Caesar’s murder’.16 It seemed to Octavius that the assassins, far from being punished for their crime, had literally got away with murder.17
Antonius was an experienced soldier and politician and had a much more nuanced plan of action.18 On the day of the assassination Antonius had fled the scene of the murder, disguising himself as a slave and rushed to his house fearing he would be next on the murderers’ list.19 When he felt confident that he was not at risk, the following day he left the confines of his house and headed for the centre of the city. The self-styled liberators had achieved their stated aim of removing the dictator and sought no further conflict. As news of the murder had spread panicked crowds fled from the Forum.20 Their hands still stained crimson with blood, still clasping their daggers, they had retreated to the security of the Capitolinus Hill and recruited gladiators and bodyguards for protection; but now they needed a way out.21 Assassin M. Iunius Brutus came down and spoke from the Rostra in the Forum Romanum encouraging the people to take back their libertas, but when co-conspirator Cinna denounced Caesar, the crowd, which up to that point had listened respectfully, broke into a riot and the two men fled back up the hill.22
On 17 March, Cicero, who had taken no part in the murder plot, negotiated a general amnesty.23 The conspirators would be officially pardoned and even accorded honours. Cunningly Antonius presented himself as a friend of the liberators and even placed his own son as a hostage in their care as a token of his good faith.24 Antonius dined with Brutus, his colleague M. Aemilius Lepidus with assassin C. Cassius Longinus.25 Assured of his peaceful intentions, the conspirators agreed to Antonius’ proposal to pass all of Iulius Caesar’s acts, and to let him speak at the funeral. Next day, the Senate assembled and voted that the conspirators should each be assigned provinces: to Brutus went Crete, to Cassius Cyrenaica, C. Trebonius Asia, L. Tillius (Metellus) Cimber Bithynia, and to D. Iunius Brutus Albinus (no relation to Marcus) was given Gallia Cisalpina.26 Pompeius Magnus’ son Sextus was recalled and certain exiles were allowed to return.27 Behind the scenes Antonius had been quietly making sure key people received positions which could advance his own interests. With the agreement of Caesar’s wife Calpurnia, Antonius, who was still legitimate consul for 44 BCE, had taken the dictator’s private papers, his decrees and the last testament into his care.28 He inserted into the unpublished decrees the names of men he wanted in government positions so that when they were announced it appeared that they had been the former deceased consul’s wishes.29 This way he arranged for his brother Caius to be appointed praetor urbanus and Lucius as tribune of the people.30