One of the key historical facts that happened around the time frame of episode XXI, was indeed the revelation of the contents of Antony’s will to the Senate (and people) of Rome, before his death.

In the series, the deed was ascribed to Posca, who fled back to Rome, fearing for his life in the context of a deteriorating situation in Egypt.

Posca is a fictional character, in the series. But what he did and the reasons why he did it may have been the same experienced by the actual historical characters reported to have done the deed.

It is from Cassius Dio that we learn the tale that Antony’s generals Titius and Plancus fled from Antony to Octavian, because of “some friction with him [Antony] or because of anger against Cleopatra” revealing Antony’s affairs to Octavian, including the name of the man who had his will.

Another tale tells us that Antony’s will was lodged with the Vestals (a common thing, at that time, and most likely to happen), and Octavian simply took it from them and read it to the Senate.

Whatever version we prefer, the bottom line is that with Antony’s last will anticipated revelation to the Senate, he lost the loyalty of a great number of Senatorial supporters in Rome and all over Italy. From this point on, desertion and shifting of allegiance from Antony to Octavian were common both in Egypt and in Rome. This makes this single fact a turning point for the beginning of Cleo & Antony’s defeat. I’m glad HBO didn’t suppress it, choosing only to ascribe the deed to a fictional character. Meno male…

There’s one thing I would like to see reenacted in this episode: the ceremony around the “Donations of Alexandria”. A highly interesting ceremony, which, from a cerographic point of view would not cost much, and would achieve an incredibly dramatic show-like effect. A pity it was edited out from the show.

A description of what was bestowed by Mark Antony to Cleopatra and her children can be found in Dio Cassius, “Roman History”, book 49.41. Good ole’ Dio Cassius’ writings are on line at the Lacus Curtius place [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Cassius_Dio/home.html]

Interesting to notice: the “Donations of Alexandria” did not make much impression on the people of Rome, but they did on the Senate. On the other hand, the Romans were very moved by the treatment Antony gave to his wife Octavia. Of course, Octavian used both facts, playing them very nicely to his own advantage, in order to win support from the Senate and from the people.