Skip to main content
Marcus Antonius

Marcus Antonius

1 8.7
A Roman general and politician allied with Julius Caesar and lover of Cleopatra who lost to Octavian at Actium
  • proper noun
  • /ˈmɑrkəs ænˈtoʊniəs/
: Marco Antonio
  • "What do you think about Marcus Antonius's alliance with Cleopatra?" she asked.
  • see Marcus Antonius

Examples

  • Did Marcus Antonius really fall in love with Cleopatra?

  • The famous Roman general Marcus Antonius was known for his alliance with Julius Caesar.

  • Marcus Antonius played a crucial role in the transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire.

  • Shakespeare's play 'Antony and Cleopatra' dramatizes the tragic love affair between Cleopatra and Marcus Antonius.

  • The defeat of Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium marked the end of the Roman Republic.

  • Marcus Antonius was a prominent military leader and politician in ancient Rome.

  • During his lifetime, Marcus Antonius was a key figure in the events following Julius Caesar's assassination.

Synonyms

Antony
vsMarcus Antonius
13 6.5

A Roman general who allied with Julius Caesar, loved Cleopatra, and fought Octavian

focuses instead on his specific defeat by Octavian at a named battle
Mark Anthony
vsMarcus Antonius
4 6.5

A Roman general and politician who worked with Julius Caesar and loved Cleopatra

is the original Latin full name used in formal historical references
Mark Antony
vsMarcus Antonius
4 6.9

A Roman general and politician who allied with Julius Caesar and had a famous romance with Cleopatra

is the original Latin full name used in formal historical references

Surface Forms

Morphology

Marcus + Antonius

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; the constituent tokens 'Marcus' and 'Antonius' are personal names and do not combine to indicate the biographical meaning (Roman general/politician). A B1 learner who knows the name-words would not be able to derive the referent or historical information from the parts alone, so the expression is opaque.

Etymology

Marcus Antonius was a Roman general and close supporter of Julius Caesar who became famous for his love affair with Cleopatra and for being defeated by Octavian at the sea battle of Actium. Because of this dramatic story, his name today refers to that leader and to the events that helped bring about the 'end of the Roman Republic'.