Donations of Alexandria
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The Donations of Alexandria (Autumn 34 BC) were a political statement by Mark Antony in which he distributed lands held by Rome and Parthia amongst Cleopatra VII and their children. The Donations caused a fatal breach in Antony's relations with Rome and were amongst the causes of the Final War of the Roman Republic.
[edit] The Donations
After Mark Antony successfully invaded Armenia, he captured the Royal Family of Armenia and staged a mock Roman Triumph in the streets of Alexandria. The parade through the city was a pastiche of Rome's most important military celebration. For the finale, the whole city was summoned to the Gymnasium of Alexandria, where Antony and Cleopatra VII were dressed as Dionysus Osiris and Isis Aphrodite sat on golden thrones. Their four children were similarly decked in the garbs of their new kingdoms. Mark Antony was about to put an end to his alliance with Octavian by donating Roman territory and more to their children.
The Donations itself included:
- Alexander Helios was named king of Armenia and Media and Parthia (which were never conquered by Rome);
- his twin Cleopatra Selene II got Cyrenaica and Libya;
- the young Ptolemy Philadelphus was awarded Syria and Cilicia;
- Cleopatra was proclaimed Queen of Kings and Queen of Egypt, to rule with Caesarion (Ptolemy XV Caesar, son of Julius Caesar), King of Kings and King of Egypt;
- Caesarion was declared legitimate son and heir of Caesar.
[edit] Consequences
Distributing Roman lands and lands never conquered by Rome amongst the children of Cleopatra was not a peace move, but it was not a serious problem either. What did seriously threaten Octavian's political position, however, was the acknowledgement of Caesarion as legitimate and heir to Caesar's name. Octavian's base of power was his link with Caesar through adoption, which granted him much-needed popularity and loyalty of the legions. To see this convenient situation attacked by a child borne by the richest woman in the world was something Octavian could not accept. In response, Octavian increased the personal attacks against Marc Antony and Cleopatra and the triumvirate expired on the last day of 33 BC not to be renewed. Another civil war was beginning.
