Quick questions on The fall of the Roman Republic: the Ides of March 44 BC and its aftermath - HSC Ancient History

The Liberators had expected the city to rise in gratitude. Instead the plebs were hostile and the conspirators withdrew to the Capitol. Three instruments, in quick succession, wrecked their cause.

From September 44 BC the aging Cicero threw himself into a last defence of the Republic, attacking Antony in a series of speeches known as the Philippics (the first delivered on 2 September 44 BC, the series running into 43 BC). Cicero's strategy was to build up the young Caesar as a counterweight to Antony, privately reckoning the youth should be "praised, honoured, and got rid of" - a phrase that would come back to haunt him.

Antony marched north to seize Cisalpine Gaul from the Liberator Decimus Brutus, besieging him in Mutina. The Senate, guided by Cicero, sent the two consuls of 43 BC, Hirtius and Pansa, together with Octavian (granted extraordinary command though barely twenty), to relieve the city. In April 43 BC Antony was defeated in two engagements around Mutina, but both consuls died, leaving Octavian in sole command of a large army and the Senate without its own generals.

The Senate now tried to sideline Octavian, transferring commands to Decimus Brutus and treating the young Caesar as expendable. Octavian responded by marching on Rome with his legions - a private citizen leading an army against the state, as Caesar had in 49 BC - and demanding the consulship. On 19 August 43 BC he was elected consul, still not twenty, with his relative Quintus Pedius as colleague.