MinoanGoddess

I often wondered how the Roman Empire would have turned out if dictator Julius Caesar was not assassinated and had reigned with Queen Cleopatra over the Roman Empire and Egypt.
Would Caesar & Cleopatra have succeeded whereas Mark Anthony & Cleopatra clearly failed.
What are your thoughts? Which one makes better power couple?

okamido

Julius and Cleo...definately.

Mosquito

Unlike Mark Anthony Caesar didnt treat Cleopatra seriously.

unclefred

Caesar was just enjoying an easy lay. Antony risked all, which indicates love. In any case, I don't think he cared about being a Roman power couple. Cleo was in life saving mode.

MinoanGoddess

I was hoping for more responses on choice of power couple

Frossard

I voted for Augustus. I like Augustus over Julius over what he did for the Romans. I do know that Julius didn't get to do much before he was assassinated by the senators, but I feel though if he had many years to rule, Augustus would be better.

okamido

Well, in contrast to Antony and Cleopatra, a Caesar-Cleo tandem would have been far more politically successful. With Cleopatra on the throne of Egypt, raising Caesar's son and protected by Caesar's authoritas, Egypt would have been the personal bank that funded Caesar's Legions as well as the breadbasket that allowed Caesar to maintain his power with the plebs, via the grain dole. With the legislation that was set to be introduced that would allow Caesar to marry anyone he wanted, and thus acknowledge his son as a true Roman heir, I don't see how any other of the three choices could even hope to equal these two in power.

Cornelius

Power couple? Considering that Rome in the 1st century BC would have been able to smash Egypt like a beetle without any effort whatsoever, it comes down to who was the most able Roman - undoubtedly Caesar, naturally.

BrowniesRule

A change in the royal couple would clearly have negated centuries of development on the subsequent timeline, that's for sure. Cleopatra and Mark Anthony influenced the destiny of the ''western eurasian world'' DRAMATICALLY.

purpleguy89

I pretty much agree. I take Augustus over Julius any day, simply because Augustus was excellent at making balanced decisions.