Salvatoria: The Memoirs of Lucretia Aurelia

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTEᖇ ᙭᙭I᙭: ᑭEᗩᑕE ᗯITᕼ TᕼE ᔕTᖇOKE Oᖴ ᗩ ᑭEᑎ

September 41 B.C

Italy continued to burn after Cicero the Younger, who I took to calling Tullius, married. While the triumvirs tightened their grip on Rome, political rivalries reared their ugly head specifically between Octavian and Antony. One of the consuls for 41 B.C, Lucius Antonius - yes another one of Antony's brothers - and Antony's wife sparked a scandal against Octavian. Issues with land redistribution to 150,000 veterans alienated the people of Italy who turned against Octavian. Many begged me to return and restore the Republic, but I simply sat back and watched Italy burn. I was playing the long game. With the peninsula starving, another civil war brewing, and Octavian isolated, they were at my mercy. I planned to essentially march into Rome unopposed.

The catalyst for the Perusine War came in 41 B.C. when Fulvia and Lucius Antonius, feeling marginalized by Octavian's growing influence, instigated a revolt against his rule. Gathering supporters from among disaffected nobles and soldiers, they seized control of the city of Perusia in central Italy and fortified it against Octavian's forces.

Octavian, recognizing the threat posed by the rebellion, swiftly marshaled his legions and marched to confront the rebels at Perusia. The ensuing conflict was marked by fierce fighting and desperate sieges as Octavian's forces sought to breach the city's defenses and crush the rebellion.

Despite facing determined resistance, Octavian's superior military tactics and resources gradually turned the tide in his favor. The siege dragged on for several months, during which both sides endured hardships and losses.

Meanwhile, outside Perusia, diplomatic efforts were underway to broker a resolution to the conflict. Antony, seeking to avoid further escalation and preserve the fragile unity of the Triumvirate, intervened to mediate negotiations between Octavian and Lucius.

In the end, faced with dwindling supplies and the prospect of defeat, Lucius Antonius and Fulvia surrendered to Octavian's forces. The capture of Perusia marked the decisive turning point in the war, and Octavian emerged victorious, consolidating his hold on power and dealing a severe blow to his rivals. Fulvia "mysteriously" died after the war, and Antony was clearly outraged. Lucius was pardoned and left for Iberia.

By now the famine in Rome was overbearing, and a six month war in Italy was wreaking havoc. Antony returned to Rome, clearly frustrated. He was seemingly the only one who saw that going on the warpath against my ever increasing forces in Africa would collapse Rome from the inside out.

I sent envoys to Antony as he arrived in Italy - where Octavian denied him entry and another war began. Antony accepted an invitation for peace talks, but instead of coming to Africa, asked I instead come to Italy out of cordiality. Recognizing the trap before it had been sprung, I instead offered Malta, technically under Octavian's jurisdiction but which had no actual defenses. Antony agreed, and at the end of the year I departed.

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January 40 B.C

Malta

A camp was erected on the island of Malta, bearing both of our sigils. Antony arrived on the day of our meeting. Only bodyguards were present, but yet this was enough. This time was different. Antony didn't look me up and down, he didn't act as though he wanted to bed me instantly. He was tired, drawn, and hurt. The death of Fulvia was clearly hard on him.

I extended my hand, and he shook it.

"Antony,"

"Crass-Cicero," He corrected himself.

"It's fine, come with me, we have much to discuss,"

Antony followed me into my tent. We sat across from each other.