Gregory Aldrete

Well, around the Mediterranean, there's about 12 legions full of hardened soldiers who are just kind of used to following a guy named Gaius Julius Caesar. And even though it's not quite logical, this 18-year-old kid inherits an army overnight. So he becomes a player in this game for power. And the next 30, 40 years is going to be those groups all vying with one another.

There's another candidate too, Pompey's son. Pompey was Caesar's great rival. He has a couple sons and one of them, a guy named Sextus Pompey, basically becomes a warlord who seizes control of Sicily, one of the richest provinces, has a whole navy. He's vying to be one of these successors too. So for the next 40 years, it's, as you said, another civil war to see which guy emerges.

There's another candidate too, Pompey's son. Pompey was Caesar's great rival. He has a couple sons and one of them, a guy named Sextus Pompey, basically becomes a warlord who seizes control of Sicily, one of the richest provinces, has a whole navy. He's vying to be one of these successors too. So for the next 40 years, it's, as you said, another civil war to see which guy emerges.

There's another candidate too, Pompey's son. Pompey was Caesar's great rival. He has a couple sons and one of them, a guy named Sextus Pompey, basically becomes a warlord who seizes control of Sicily, one of the richest provinces, has a whole navy. He's vying to be one of these successors too. So for the next 40 years, it's, as you said, another civil war to see which guy emerges.

Is it going to be the Senate? Is it going to be the assassins? Is it going to be Antony? Is it going to be Lepidus? Is it going to be Sextus Pompey? Is it going to be Octavian?

Is it going to be the Senate? Is it going to be the assassins? Is it going to be Antony? Is it going to be Lepidus? Is it going to be Sextus Pompey? Is it going to be Octavian?

Is it going to be the Senate? Is it going to be the assassins? Is it going to be Antony? Is it going to be Lepidus? Is it going to be Sextus Pompey? Is it going to be Octavian?

Yeah. Yeah, it's, I mean, Caesar clearly did see something in him. And Octavian, I mean, to cut to the end, is the one who emerges from all that as the victor. We can talk about how he does it, but he's the one who sort of ends up in the same position as Caesar. It takes him 30 years, but he defeats all the foes. He's the sole guy. He now faces Caesar's riddle.

Yeah. Yeah, it's, I mean, Caesar clearly did see something in him. And Octavian, I mean, to cut to the end, is the one who emerges from all that as the victor. We can talk about how he does it, but he's the one who sort of ends up in the same position as Caesar. It takes him 30 years, but he defeats all the foes. He's the sole guy. He now faces Caesar's riddle.

Yeah. Yeah, it's, I mean, Caesar clearly did see something in him. And Octavian, I mean, to cut to the end, is the one who emerges from all that as the victor. We can talk about how he does it, but he's the one who sort of ends up in the same position as Caesar. It takes him 30 years, but he defeats all the foes. He's the sole guy. He now faces Caesar's riddle.

How do you rule Rome as one guy and not get killed? And Octavian's, what makes him stand out, what makes him fascinating to me is he wasn't a good general. In fact, he was a terrible general. He lost almost every battle he commanded. But what he is, is he's politically savvy, and he's very good at what today we would call manipulation of your public image and propaganda.

How do you rule Rome as one guy and not get killed? And Octavian's, what makes him stand out, what makes him fascinating to me is he wasn't a good general. In fact, he was a terrible general. He lost almost every battle he commanded. But what he is, is he's politically savvy, and he's very good at what today we would call manipulation of your public image and propaganda.

How do you rule Rome as one guy and not get killed? And Octavian's, what makes him stand out, what makes him fascinating to me is he wasn't a good general. In fact, he was a terrible general. He lost almost every battle he commanded. But what he is, is he's politically savvy, and he's very good at what today we would call manipulation of your public image and propaganda.

So he basically defeats Mark Antony partially by waging a propaganda war against him. I mean, Antony starts out as a legitimate rival and there are two Romans vying for power. At the end of this war, propaganda war, Octavian has managed to portray Antony as a foreign aggressor allied with an enemy king or queen, in this case Cleopatra, and who is an official enemy of the Roman state.

So he basically defeats Mark Antony partially by waging a propaganda war against him. I mean, Antony starts out as a legitimate rival and there are two Romans vying for power. At the end of this war, propaganda war, Octavian has managed to portray Antony as a foreign aggressor allied with an enemy king or queen, in this case Cleopatra, and who is an official enemy of the Roman state.

So he basically defeats Mark Antony partially by waging a propaganda war against him. I mean, Antony starts out as a legitimate rival and there are two Romans vying for power. At the end of this war, propaganda war, Octavian has managed to portray Antony as a foreign aggressor allied with an enemy king or queen, in this case Cleopatra, and who is an official enemy of the Roman state.

And that's all propaganda. So he takes what's a civil war and makes it look like a war against a foreign enemy. And when Octavian becomes the sole ruler, he looks at what Caesar did wrong, and he very carefully avoids the same mistakes. So the first thing is just how he lives his life. He's very modest. He lives in an ordinary house like other aristocrats.

And that's all propaganda. So he takes what's a civil war and makes it look like a war against a foreign enemy. And when Octavian becomes the sole ruler, he looks at what Caesar did wrong, and he very carefully avoids the same mistakes. So the first thing is just how he lives his life. He's very modest. He lives in an ordinary house like other aristocrats.

And that's all propaganda. So he takes what's a civil war and makes it look like a war against a foreign enemy. And when Octavian becomes the sole ruler, he looks at what Caesar did wrong, and he very carefully avoids the same mistakes. So the first thing is just how he lives his life. He's very modest. He lives in an ordinary house like other aristocrats.

He wears just a plain toga, nothing fancy. He's respectful to the Senate. He treats them with respect. He eats simple foods. I mean, he's someone who cared about the reality of power, not the external trappings. Clearly, there's some rulers who love, I want to dress in fancy clothes. I want to be surrounded by gold, everything. This is what makes me feel good. Octavian's the opposite.