Claiming Legitimacy in a Power Vacuum
After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC, the dictator’s adopted son Octavian claimed the name and legacy of his father to gain power and popularity among Caesar’s support base. Octavian’s actions show how, if a powerful and popular leader is removed, another new leader can take control of the power vacuum by establishing himself as the next legitimate successor. This was made easier for Octavian when he claimed the name Caesar for himself and used the popularity of the dictator for his own political advancement.
Disruptive Radicalism
Using a skillful combination of bribes, propaganda, and anger against Mark Antony for his conciliatory policies regarding the assassins of Caesar, Octavian threatened the Caesarian support base of the consul and forced him to move more aggressively, creating conflict between Antony and the senate. A situation like this is certainly not unique, as politicians today still must deal with similar issues; when a radical political opponent emerges, a moderate leader might be forced to become more extreme himself to maintain power, but bringing him into conflict with another political faction or party.
Political Alliances and Shifts in the Balance of Power
As political fortunes in the Roman world changed, Octavian maintained his political momentum by creating new allies within the senate to gain legitimacy and then betraying those allies to take advantage of their weaknesses. At this level, it is apparent that politics is often no longer about ideology—such as the Caesarian view of avenging Caesar or the goal of restoring an ideal republic—but rather the changing balances of political power. Octavian certainly did not agree with the senate’s goals, but merely took advantage of them as a temporary source of legitimacy and support. As Antony recovered in strength and gathered more forces, Octavian created an alliance with his former opponent to defeat a common threat in Brutus and Cassius.
Failure of the Republican Restoration
Ultimately, Octavian’s clever political maneuvers—whether claiming Caesar’s legitimacy to gain power, attacking Antony from both sides of the political spectrum, or maintaining momentum through a series of alliances and betrayals based on shifts in the balance of power—allowed him to rise to power in the Roman political world and led to the formation of an authoritarian system from which a republican revival, envisioned by Cicero and the conspirators, could not occur.