In 44 BC, after the resolution of a devastating civil war, Julius Caesar's assassination by political rivals threatened to reignite conflict. Despite the absence of a clear successor, Caesar's will revealed his 19-year-old nephew, Gaius Octavius (Octavian), as his heir. Mark Antony, Caesar's co-consul and senior official, initially dominated Rome's political scene but faced challenges, including from Cicero and Caesar's assassins. Antony's attempt to maintain power by negotiating compromises was complicated by his preference for Cisalpine Gaul over Macedonia. Meanwhile, Octavian, underestimated by all, began to emerge as a significant political figure.