Did Mark Antony Contemplate an Alliance with His Political Enemies in July 44 B. C. E.?
T HIS PAPER SEEKS TO DISPEL the prevailing view that Mark Antony signaled a willingness to draw closer to his political enemies in the Senate in late July 44 B.C.E. Cicero informs us that rumors of a possible reconciliation between Antony and the "Liberators" Brutus and Cassius were brought to him on 7 August when he was waiting not far from Rhegium (on the "toe" of Italy) to continue his voyage to Greece (Att. 16.7.1; Phil. 1.7-8). The story has also made its way into Plutarch (Cic. 43.4). Scholars lay particular stress on Cicero's remark that he first began to think of returning to Rome after he read a transcript of a speech (contio) by Antony that was brought to him by some townsmen of Rhegium. Unfortunately Cicero tells us nothing specific about the contents of that speech, but modern accounts characterize it as having an "unexpectedly moderate tone,'" one that was "friendly and favourable to the Liberators."2 This interpretation rests on the assumption that in his speech Antony extended an olive branch to Brutus and Cassius. According to the standard reconstruction of events in late July, Antony was forced to adopt a radical shift in policy in the direction of drawing closer to the Senate. He did so, it is argued, out of a need to form a new political alliance as a counterweight to the threat posed by the surging popularity of Julius Caesar's chief heir Octavian, the future emperor Augustus. The precipitating factor that supposedly influenced Antony to change political course is said to be the success of Octavian's games in honor of Caesar and Venus Genetrix (20-c. 28 July),3 during which the appearance of a daylight comet (the sidus Iulium) was interpreted as a sign of Caesar's apotheosis.4
Crisis Management during the Roman Republic: The Role of Political Institutions in Emergencies
Prologue : the winter of discontent -- Crisis and the sources for crisis and governmental responses -- The Roman dictator -- States of emergency : the Tumultus declaration -- States of emergency : the Iustitium edict -- The Senatus consultum ultimum -- Crises resolved by other means -- The winter of discontent and the summer which led to a fall -- The evolution of crisis response during the Roman Republic -- Final thoughts.
Climate change, disasters and electricity generation
Abbrevia ons Foreword 1. Introduc on 8 2. The impacts of changing climate pa erns and changing disaster risks on energy 9 op ons and electricity genera on infrastructure 2.1 The rela onship between climate change and disaster risks 10 2.2 The impact of changing climate pa erns and changing disaster risks on electricity 11 genera on from fossil fuels 2.3 The impact of changing climate pa erns and changing disaster risks on electricity 14 from nuclear power 2.4 The impact of changing climate pa erns and changing disaster risks on electricity 17 genera on from renewable energy 2.4.1 Hydropower 17 2.4.2 Wind Energy 19 2.4.3 Bioenergy 22 2.4.4 Solar Energy 24 3. Climate change and changing disaster risks: implica ons for energy policy and 26 planning