To Choose The Moment

[The Augusta]

 

...but a member of the Triumvirate was disposed of too - and all in the name of peace. We will never know just why Lepidus chose that moment to make his futile and misjudged bid for more power, but he played into Octavian's hands.

 

You are implying that Lepidus was merely prey caught in Octavian's well-laid trap; this apparently was not the case. When Lepidus decided to turn on Octavian he was in a very strong position: most of the legions in Sicily were under his control, and Octavian had seemly few troops. The only reason Lepidus did not receive his intended result was because he did not bank on his troops defecting to 'Caesar's heir'.

 

My apologies, WW - I have only just revisited this thread and seen this post, which deserves the courtesy of a reply, for this is a good point. I did not mean to imply that Octavian laid a trap for Lepidus, and I can certainly see where you have concluded such an implication in the way I expressed myself. You are quite right to point out that Lepidus was in a strong position at this period, and I can only offer in my defence that many eminent historians have suffered from the same degree of hindsight. He is often passed over because he departed from the scene early on in the power struggle between Antony and Octavian.

 

The point I was really trying to make was that although Lepidus had (was it 8 legions? - I write from memory, here) - even among his own forces were old veterans long overdue for their discharge. The Sicilian War had been a long protracted affair lasting some 8 years in total. I think this is why he 'played into Octavian's hands'. Had he been a better judge of his men, Lepidus would have perhaps realised that to ask them to fight on to keep hold of Sicily was folly. Plus - Octavian at this stage was advocating peace and promise of discharge to the soldiers; by Lepidus attempting to spur them to more war, he put his head in a noose.

 

Is this any clearer - or do you still disagree? Or are we even off-topic?