Marcus Vispanius Agrippa
Posted April 5th, 2012 at 10:40 AM by okamido
I think I will make this old post of mine, part one on MVA.
Born between 64-62 BCE to a less than prominent family, Agrippa was able to meet an befriend another youth during his school years that would govern his action the rest of his life. This friend, Gaius Octavius Thurinus, who is better known to us by his latter title of Caesar Augustus, would recognize the inherent military skills of this young man named Agrippa, and would hold him close to his breast for all of his days.
From this friendship with Octavian, Agrippa naturally sided with Octavian's great-uncle, Gaius Julius Caesar, during the tumultuous times of Civil War and beyond. It is apparent that from the moment Agrippa donned his toga virilis that he would serve in a superior capacity in the military juggernaut that was Rome, and in particular, Caesar's Legions. First seeing action at the Battle of Munda where thousands of Romans died in fierce combat, and where the famed cavalry general Titus Labienus met his end, as well as the eldest son of Pompeius Magnus, Gnaeus Pompeius, who was quickly captured and executed, Agrippa's performance was sufficient enough to be sent to study with Octavian in Apollonia and continue his military tutelage with the Macedonian Legions as Caesar consolidated his power in Rome.
Agrippa's future was secured on the 15h of March, 44 BCE, when the famed "Uncle" of his best friend, was ruthlessly cut down by those who had pledged to safe guard his life. With the death of Caesar, the norm of political intrigue that was commonplace in Rome, would once again jump into overdrive, culminating in the Battle of Mutina, where the rebel Marcus Antonius, would meet the forces of the Republic, consisting of Legions under Aulus Hirtius, and Octavian. Already reeling from a battle against Hirtius and Gaius Vibius Pansa six days earlier, a battle which claimed the life of the Republic General Pansa, Antonius's troops were no match for the combined forces of Hirtius and Octavius' commander, Agrippa. Soundly defeated, Antonius fled, leaving the field to Octavian/ Agrippa, and the now dead Hirtius. Fortuitous indeed for the faction that Agrippa swore loyalty to.
With war and politics however, circumstances change with the prevailing winds, and Antonius, who was once an enemy, was now a friend. With this friendship, the time was ripe for payback against the murderers of Caesar, Brutus and Cassius. With the first Battle of Philippi, it could be said that Agrippa met his only setback as a surprise attack from Brutus' forces stormed Octavian's camp, pushing his Legions back. Luckily however, undisciplined troops and subpar command on Brutus' side led to mass looting, and gave Agrippa the chance to reform his lines and push back, thus denying the "Liberators" their victory. Within three weeks, the second Battle of Philippi would be fought, and the murderers of Caesar would be cleaned from the earth. Left now on the stage were three titans who would soon clash, the political-military tandem of Octavian and Agrippa, staring across at a hostile, and on the very top of his game, Marcus Antonius. Unbeknownst to Antonius however, he would give Agrippa the experience needed to destroy him forever.
Before that experience would be gained however, Agrippa would have the opportunity to gain more field experience when, in 41BCE, Marcus Antonius' brother Lucius, decided to start a small civil war. After quick action by Agrippa, in which he seized the town of Sutrium, keeping access to Gaul open ,and then repelling a force sent to assist Lucius, Octavian was able to force a surrender through siege. At this point, Agrippa was able to show some political acumen as he arranged further treaty between Octavian and Antonius, thus forestalling the inevitable conflict to come. The following year, Agrippa was sent to govern Gaul, which had not had a proper administration since its conquer by the famed Julius Caesar. During this governorship, Agrippa built several roads that would later be used by Rome's Legions, as well as founding the city Ara Ubiorum (modern Cologne) when he resettled the Ubian tribe after crossing the Rhine and defeating the harassing Suebians in a pitched conflict.
At the same time as Agrippa's governorship of Gaul, a pesky gnat had turned into a formidable nuisance. Sextus Pompeius, son the Magnus and brother of Gnaeus, had been pirating his way through the Mare Nostrum unhindered. This piracy was affecting the grain supply of Rome and putting Octavian in a precarious position. With Antonius and his Eastern witch, Cleopatra, not lifting a finger in aid of Rome, and in fact gleefully enjoying the predicament, it was time for Octavian and his military genius, Agrippa, to take matters into his own hands. Using the Averna lake to train Marines, constructing a special port near modern day Naples, and miraculously getting Antonius to trade a fleet for a land army, Agrippa was ready. In September of 36BCE, Agrippa the General became Agrippa the Admiral when he utterly destroyed Pompeuis' fleet, losing only three to the pirate's 28 sunk and unknown captured, truly an inspired victory, and one that would make Agrippa more than a match for the forthcoming conflict with Antonius. One that would take place where Antonius had no experience, and where Agrippa had just proven himself without a shadow of a doubt, the sea.
On September 2, 31BCE, the "victor" of Philippi, Antonius, would now meet his match. No longer a pup, Agrippa had proven himself time and time again, and once more was prepared to put it all on the line. With absolute confidence in Agrippa, Octavian sat back to watch his most hated rival lose 200 of his 230 warships as Agrippa's fleet and tactics completed an act of utter devastation on Antonius and Cleopatra's forces. At Actium, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa solidified the control of Rome for his friend for life, the future Caesar Augustus. While there would still be fights to come, these are the actions that defined the birth of an empire.
Everitt, Anthony. Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor
Wright, Frederick. Marcus Agrippa: Organizer of Victory
Livius.org
Born between 64-62 BCE to a less than prominent family, Agrippa was able to meet an befriend another youth during his school years that would govern his action the rest of his life. This friend, Gaius Octavius Thurinus, who is better known to us by his latter title of Caesar Augustus, would recognize the inherent military skills of this young man named Agrippa, and would hold him close to his breast for all of his days.
From this friendship with Octavian, Agrippa naturally sided with Octavian's great-uncle, Gaius Julius Caesar, during the tumultuous times of Civil War and beyond. It is apparent that from the moment Agrippa donned his toga virilis that he would serve in a superior capacity in the military juggernaut that was Rome, and in particular, Caesar's Legions. First seeing action at the Battle of Munda where thousands of Romans died in fierce combat, and where the famed cavalry general Titus Labienus met his end, as well as the eldest son of Pompeius Magnus, Gnaeus Pompeius, who was quickly captured and executed, Agrippa's performance was sufficient enough to be sent to study with Octavian in Apollonia and continue his military tutelage with the Macedonian Legions as Caesar consolidated his power in Rome.
Agrippa's future was secured on the 15h of March, 44 BCE, when the famed "Uncle" of his best friend, was ruthlessly cut down by those who had pledged to safe guard his life. With the death of Caesar, the norm of political intrigue that was commonplace in Rome, would once again jump into overdrive, culminating in the Battle of Mutina, where the rebel Marcus Antonius, would meet the forces of the Republic, consisting of Legions under Aulus Hirtius, and Octavian. Already reeling from a battle against Hirtius and Gaius Vibius Pansa six days earlier, a battle which claimed the life of the Republic General Pansa, Antonius's troops were no match for the combined forces of Hirtius and Octavius' commander, Agrippa. Soundly defeated, Antonius fled, leaving the field to Octavian/ Agrippa, and the now dead Hirtius. Fortuitous indeed for the faction that Agrippa swore loyalty to.
With war and politics however, circumstances change with the prevailing winds, and Antonius, who was once an enemy, was now a friend. With this friendship, the time was ripe for payback against the murderers of Caesar, Brutus and Cassius. With the first Battle of Philippi, it could be said that Agrippa met his only setback as a surprise attack from Brutus' forces stormed Octavian's camp, pushing his Legions back. Luckily however, undisciplined troops and subpar command on Brutus' side led to mass looting, and gave Agrippa the chance to reform his lines and push back, thus denying the "Liberators" their victory. Within three weeks, the second Battle of Philippi would be fought, and the murderers of Caesar would be cleaned from the earth. Left now on the stage were three titans who would soon clash, the political-military tandem of Octavian and Agrippa, staring across at a hostile, and on the very top of his game, Marcus Antonius. Unbeknownst to Antonius however, he would give Agrippa the experience needed to destroy him forever.
Before that experience would be gained however, Agrippa would have the opportunity to gain more field experience when, in 41BCE, Marcus Antonius' brother Lucius, decided to start a small civil war. After quick action by Agrippa, in which he seized the town of Sutrium, keeping access to Gaul open ,and then repelling a force sent to assist Lucius, Octavian was able to force a surrender through siege. At this point, Agrippa was able to show some political acumen as he arranged further treaty between Octavian and Antonius, thus forestalling the inevitable conflict to come. The following year, Agrippa was sent to govern Gaul, which had not had a proper administration since its conquer by the famed Julius Caesar. During this governorship, Agrippa built several roads that would later be used by Rome's Legions, as well as founding the city Ara Ubiorum (modern Cologne) when he resettled the Ubian tribe after crossing the Rhine and defeating the harassing Suebians in a pitched conflict.
At the same time as Agrippa's governorship of Gaul, a pesky gnat had turned into a formidable nuisance. Sextus Pompeius, son the Magnus and brother of Gnaeus, had been pirating his way through the Mare Nostrum unhindered. This piracy was affecting the grain supply of Rome and putting Octavian in a precarious position. With Antonius and his Eastern witch, Cleopatra, not lifting a finger in aid of Rome, and in fact gleefully enjoying the predicament, it was time for Octavian and his military genius, Agrippa, to take matters into his own hands. Using the Averna lake to train Marines, constructing a special port near modern day Naples, and miraculously getting Antonius to trade a fleet for a land army, Agrippa was ready. In September of 36BCE, Agrippa the General became Agrippa the Admiral when he utterly destroyed Pompeuis' fleet, losing only three to the pirate's 28 sunk and unknown captured, truly an inspired victory, and one that would make Agrippa more than a match for the forthcoming conflict with Antonius. One that would take place where Antonius had no experience, and where Agrippa had just proven himself without a shadow of a doubt, the sea.
On September 2, 31BCE, the "victor" of Philippi, Antonius, would now meet his match. No longer a pup, Agrippa had proven himself time and time again, and once more was prepared to put it all on the line. With absolute confidence in Agrippa, Octavian sat back to watch his most hated rival lose 200 of his 230 warships as Agrippa's fleet and tactics completed an act of utter devastation on Antonius and Cleopatra's forces. At Actium, Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa solidified the control of Rome for his friend for life, the future Caesar Augustus. While there would still be fights to come, these are the actions that defined the birth of an empire.
Everitt, Anthony. Augustus: The Life of Rome's First Emperor
Wright, Frederick. Marcus Agrippa: Organizer of Victory
Livius.org
Total Comments 5
Comments
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Really Interesting!
M.V. Agrippa is one of my favourite Roman military commanders, along with Sertorius,Drusus the Elder and Claudius MarcellusPosted April 7th, 2012 at 11:24 AM by M.E.T.H.O.D.
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Agrippa doesn't seem to get much lover at Historum unfortunatley.Posted April 8th, 2012 at 12:44 PM by okamido - Yeah, that's bad
It could have something to do with his rather humble character(while most of the military commanders of the Civil Wars of the late Republic have "over-the-top" personae)...It's only a personal idea, so I could be wrong.Posted April 8th, 2012 at 01:03 PM by M.E.T.H.O.D. -
Great write-up and nice blog.Posted May 7th, 2012 at 10:51 AM by unclefred - Thanks, Uncle.Posted June 3rd, 2012 at 08:49 PM by okamido
