In Rome, leaving your fortunes in the hands of others is pure folly. This is a lesson which Lepidus has learned the hard way. When Caesar was murdered, he held the position of Magister Equitum, or Master of Horses, which effectively made him second-in-command of the Republic. In the aftermath, Lepidus sided with Mark Antony against Octavian, promising his authority and troops in exchange for the position of Pontifex Maximus, or high priest. This led to the formation of the Second Triumvirate, which established him as one of the three absolute rulers of the Republic./n/nIn keeping with his status Lepidus received the second-best allotment of lands after Antony. Satisfied by this, he remained to administrate in Rome whilst Octavian and Antony set off to defeat the last of Caesar’s murderers. The success of this expedition proved unfavourable, as Octavian and Antony used the prestige gained to redistribute control of the Republic at Lepidus’ expense./n/nInstead of being rewarded for his loyalty, Lepidus was relegated to the fringe territories of Africa and Hispania by the union he was instrumental in creating. However, his dismissal may well be his foes’ undoing. While his ex-comrades menace each other, Lepidus is able to build his strength through control of the Republic’s most fertile province. Freed now from any notions of loyalty, he could once again rise to the height of power but must wait for the perfect opportunity to strike.
