S8 Ep1168: Barry Strauss traces the fracturing of the Second Triumvirate as Octavian utilizes his sister, Octavia, who marries Antony to sea

The John Batchelor Show · Jul 27, 2026 · 14m

Barry Strauss traces the fracturing of the Second Triumvirate as Octavian utilizes his sister, Octavia, who marries Antony to seal a peace treaty in 40 BC. While depicted as a devoted housewife, Strauss suggests she remained loyal to Octavian, potentially providing intelligence. In Rome, Octavian builds power by marrying into the high nobility and cultivating talent, specifically his "secret weapon," Marcus Agrippa. Agrippa, a brilliant military strategist, builds a new navy to defeat Sextus Pompey, a naval threat based in Sicily. Meanwhile, Antony's reputation suffers after a failed campaign…