The Roman politician and general Mark Antony was the chief rival of another prominent Roman politician, Octavian (63 B.C.E.–14 C. E.), seeking leadership of the Roman Empire. Both men desired to assume power after the assassination (political murder) of Julius Caesar in 44 B.C.E. The man who came out on top of this struggle would go on to become perhaps the most powerful figure in the world at that time.