Duane W. Roller

was brought to Rome and set up as a sundial in the Campus Martius,
near Augustus’s mausoleum—itself infl uenced by Egypt—where (aft er
re-erection and restoration) it still stands today. 8 Th e most visible piece
of Egyptian-inspired architecture extant in Rome is the well-known
pyramidal tomb of C. Cestius, south of the Aventine, dated to around
15 b.c. 9 Paintings in Egyptian style pervaded Roman art of the next
several generations. 10 Sphinxes became a common decorative element. 11
And Cleopatra herself still stood in Caesar’s Temple of Venus Genetrix.
To paraphrase Horace, 12 captured Egypt captivated Rome.
Octavia never remarried, and she lived in her home on the Palatine
next to that of her brother. She survived until 11 b.c., participating in
the Augustan building program and devoting herself to raising the
large number of children that she had acquired, including all those of
Antonius who survived.
Antonius’s family would continue to be prominent. His granddaughter
Pythodoris would rule in Pontos, and her descendants
would be signifi cant members of the royalty and aristocracy in Asia
Minor until the third century a.d. 13 Antonius’s children with Fulvia
and Octavia would be among the leaders of the new regime in Rome
for more than half a century aft er his death. Th e longest survivor was
the younger Antonia, mother of the emperor Claudius, grandmother
of Gaius Caligula, and great-grandmother of Nero; she died in a.d. 37.
Antonius’s last known descendant in Rome was Sergius Octavius Laenas,
the consul of a.d. 131. 14
Quintus Dellius retired and wrote his history of Antonius’s
campaigns. Like many of Antonius’ companions, he never returned to
the East. Domitius Ahenobarbus died just aft er he left Antonius, but a
large number of those around the triumvir went on to distinguished
careers in the new regime. Munatius Plancus was active politically for
many years, proposing the name “Augustus” for Octavian in 27 b.c.,
holding offi ce, and building the Temple of Saturn in Rome. Horace
dedicated an ode to him. 15 Plancus led the diplomatic mission of 20
b.c. that brought lasting peace with the Parthians, and also found time
to write his memoirs. When he died—the date is unknown—he was
buried at Caieta (modern Gaeta), on the coast south of Rome, where
his fi ne tomb—inspired by what he had seen in Egypt—with its eulogy
that he wrote for himself are still visible. Nikolaos of Damascus ended
up in the service of both Augustus and Herod and his descendants
for at least the next quarter-century, and wrote his account of Herod’s
152 Cleopatra