Two Caesars is one too many

• Two Caesars is one too many is a remark made by Octavian, soon to become the Roman Emperor Augustus.
  • He was referring to his execution of Caesarion, the son of Julius Caesar and Queen Cleopatra VII.
  • Caesarion was his rival to inherit the Roman Empire.

Caesarion

• Caesarion was the natural born son of Queen Cleopatra VII and Julius Caesar.
• During the ‘Donations of Alexandria’ in the Autumn of 34 BCE, Mark Anthony and Cleopatra declared Caesarion to be a God and the ‘King of Kings’, as well as the Son of Julius Caesar and the rightful inheritor of the Kingdom of Egypt, Cyprus, Libya and Syria.
• A copy was sent to Rome. This challenged the position of Octavian, son of Julius Caesar by Adoption, and then part of the Second Triumvirate.

Everyday Expressions that come from Ancient Rome